To Live is So Much Harder
by Lord Talon
Summary: After defeating his enemies and keeping his promise to the woman he loves, Naruto's life is happier than ever before. Life, however, can shatter even the strongest of men.....
1. Chapter 1

To Live is So Much Harder….

**A/N**: _I don't own Naruto, if I did, he'd give up on that Uchiha bastard and the pink-haired banshee!_

"Sorry! Excuse me!" a yellow streak apologized as it rushed through the crowded streets of Konoha on the cool, crisp morning. Onlookers stared in wide-eyed wonder before they could register what or who exactly it was that was disturbing them, but once they realized exactly who it was, most of them merely grinned and shook their heads before continuing their way. "Look out!"

Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze sped through the winding roads like a man possessed. It wasn't more than five minutes ago that he had received news that his wife of five years had gone into labor. He promptly vanished before the startled eyes of his sparring partner, Rock Lee, who thought he had used a teleportation jutsu. The answer was much simpler than that, as the blonde shinobi forced as much chakra to his feet and legs as possible, disappearing in a burst of speed and a cloud of dust. In that five minutes time, he had managed to cross most of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and was now quickly closing in on the center of town. Despite his rush, he still remembered his manners, and apologized as he blazed a trail across the town.

"Coming through!" the hyperactive ninja yelled as he approached a rather large crowd of morning shoppers that had at time decided to visit Konoha's famous market square. Quickly assessing that situation like the experienced ninja he was, Naruto came to the conclusion he was screwed, until he spied a nearby park bench. A foxy grin split his face as he veered toward the bench and, despite the fact that there were a few people sitting on it, planted his foot on the back, launching himself toward the nearest rooftop. The young couple that sat there screamed in protest as he flew away. "Sorry!"

"Watch it, you fucking jerk!" Ino Yamanaka bellowed as she lurched to her feet and shook her fist at the quickly retreating blonde. Turning to her teammate, she watched as Choji Akimichi scrambled to recover the bag of chips he had dropped when Naruto blew through. "What the hell is his problem?"

"You got me," the heavy set ninja replied as he looked at the devastation before him, a pout twisting his chubby face, "Just look at what he did to my chips! It isn't like Naruto to ruin food like that!"

"That's because…_wheeze_…Naruto isn't exactly…_puff puff_…himself right now…_gasp_…" a voice called out from behind, causing them to turn and stare at the figure of the third member of their team, Shikamaru Nara, who was bent over at the waist, trying to inhale huge gobs of air. "Damn, that fucker can move fast!"

"What do you mean by that?" Ino asked, her curiosity quickly overshadowing her anger. Ino was one of the biggest gossips in Konoha, and any little bit of information she could get made her extremely happy. The platinum blonde watched as her friend fell to his butt, then to his back, sprawling out in the middle of the roadway.

"It means that Sakura…_wheeze_… is having their baby," the dark haired Nara panted, doing his best to ignore the girlish squeal that suddenly erupted from his friend. Glancing upward toward the offending sound, he watched as Ino jumped up and down like a schoolgirl while hugging Choji around the neck, quickly causing the large man to turn blue from lack of oxygen. "Troublesome."

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"Shizune!" Naruto hollered as he burst through the doors of Konoha General, causing everyone to jump at the sheer volume of noise the Kyuubi container made in his excited state. Getting no answer, he sprinted over to the nurse's desk "Excuse me, Mariko? Can you tell me what room Sakura Namikaze is in?"

"Sakura? Sure," the nurse answered quickly, pulling a clipboard off the wall. Sakura was still one of the top medics at in Konoha, and just about everyone in the hospital knew her, as well as her famous husband. It was general knowledge in town the Hokage had made him her defacto heir. "She's up on the fourth floor, room 418."

"Thanks, Mariko!" he replied, giving her a goofy grin as he turned and blazed down the hall, leaving a trail a disrupted paper and patients. He vaulted up the stairs and disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye, leaving the nurse laughing at his actions, no matter how disruptive they were. All new fathers were the same, after all.

Within the space of a heartbeat, Naruto had cleared all four flights of stairs and had quietly entered the maternity ward. He had learned his lesson long ago about being loud and rowdy on that particular floor. He still remembered the beat down Tsunade, Shizune, and his wife had given him when he burst in one day and awakened every single baby that was in the nursery. Who know that many screaming babies could be that loud, anyway? Shaking his head of that memory, he quickly sought out Shizune, who he knew would have handled Sakura's case personally. He caught up with her outside Room 418.

"Shizune? How's Sakura?" Naruto asked earnestly, his eyes filled with worry. He and Sakura had been married for a number of years before they had decided to start a family. Everything went well at first, but Sakura had developed some problems about halfway through her pregnancy, causing her to cut back drastically on her medical work. This, in turn, drove his wife crazy, having to stay at home all the time. "How far along is she?"

"Huh? Oh, Naruto!" the medical nin started as she stripped herself of the soiled doctor's gown and gloves she was wearing. "Yeah, Sakura and the baby are just fine! You can go in now if you want."

"She…she had the baby already? I just got word she was in labor! I know it didn't take me that long to get here!" the blonde choked. He was looking forward to being there when his child was born, and he began to curse himself for being so slow.

"It's not that, Naruto," Shizune calmly stated, doing her best to reassure the young man that she looked at like a little brother, "Her water broke several hours ago, but she was too weak to move and call anyone. Sasuke went by to check on her like you always ask him to do, when he discovered her. He rushed her here as fast as possible. By the time we got her to a room, the baby's head was already crowning. It was a good thing Sasuke got her here when he did!" Naruto visibly relaxed.

"Sasuke! Thank God!" Naruto sighed in relief. In the year and a half that he had been back, Sasuke had been a godsend for the Namikaze family. He was the first one that had congratulated the couple when they announced that they were having a baby, as well as the one who volunteered to look after Sakura while Naruto was out on missions or training. Sasuke was the one who suggested what the problem was with Sakura when she took a turn for the worse during the pregnancy.

"My mom had the same problem when she was pregnant with Itachi and I," Sasuke had told Lady Tsunade and Naruto when Sakura collapsed in the Hokage's office one day, several months back. Much to everyone's surprise, his diagnosis was correct, causing Tsunade to order Sakura home and to bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy. Sakura shot both Sasuke and Naruto a withering glare upon hearing this. She was not a happy camper, and she made sure her teammates knew all about it.

"See, I told you that he wasn't as bad as everyone claimed he was," Naruto said, giving Shizune a thumbs-up before giving the medical nin a hug and turning to the door to his wife's room.

Naruto grinned when he remembered back to when he finally tracked Sasuke down and managed to break the genjutsu that Madara Uchiha had placed Sasuke under. Between the two of them, and their summons, they managed to defeat not only Madara, but Pein and the rest of the Akatsuki as well. He smiled when he remembered the looks on Sakura's and Tsunade's when he and Sasuke stumbled through the gates of Konoha, supporting each other. It took a lot of fancy talking and pleading to keep Tsunade from executing the last Uchiha on the spot. As it was, Sasuke still ended up spending a couple of months in jail until the Hokage and the Council decided his fate.

He was finally reinstated as a ninja of the Leaf, but he was still listed as a Genin, and would continued to be until he proved his loyalty to the village once more. Sasuke finally proved his worth when forces of Oto attacked, lead by his old team. Naruto and Sasuke stood back to back outside Konoha's walls and slaughtered most of the invasion force, including the leaders Kabuto, Suigetsu, and Juugo. Sakura and Tsunade smashed Karin into meat paste when she tried to attack the Hokage Tower. The rest of the Oto nins chose the better part of valor and ran for the hills, never to be seen again. Sasuke was immediately promoted to Jonin and joined the rest of Team 7 in the upper tiers of Konoha's ninja ranks. The only ones missing were Kakashi and Sai, both having been slaughtered by Kabuto early in the fighting. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Yamato mourned their passing, but continued on with their lives. It wasn't too long after that battle that Sakura decided she wanted a baby, which brings us up to the present.

"If you say so, Naruto," Shizune replied to the retreating back of everyone's favorite blonde ninja before continuing on to finish her paperwork before heading to the Hokage's office, "If you say so…"

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Naruto's heart was in his throat when he slowly opened the door and spied his wife lying asleep on the bed before him. She looked so exhausted, causing him to feel so bad, knowing that he was the reason for it. He wished that he had listened to his gut and stayed home that morning, rather than listening to his wife who sent him out of the house to work off some of his nervous energy. Her pink tresses were plastered to her forehead from the sweat of having the baby. Naruto noticed Sasuke was sitting beside her and holding her hand, the two of them sleeping peacefully.

"Wow, that must have really wore you two out," Naruto whispered as he went over to the sink and wet down a washcloth before returning to his wife's side and began to lovingly wipe down her face. He looked down on her beautiful face as he wiped the sweat from her brow and he couldn't believe his luck. Of all the goals that he had set for himself, the fact that he got Sakura Haruno to be his girlfriend at first and then his wife was the one that he thought was the furthest from becoming reality.

It had happened not too long after he had come back from his Toad Sage training. He had finally gotten the message that Pein and Konan had attacked Konoha looking for him, but by the time he had arrived, the damage had been done. Several of Pein's slave bodies had been destroyed, but so had much of the village. Many civilians and ninja had been injured or killed, and the stress all the medical nins felt was overwhelming. Naruto wondered the village, helping with search and rescue efforts, offering aid and comfort where and when he could. He almost cried when he came across his favorite ramen stand and saw the owner's daughter, Ayame, sitting there holding her father's head in her lap. Teuchi looked as pale as death, but due to Naruto's enhanced senses, he was able to tell that the old man was alive. Gently, he lifted Teuchi from the ground and launched himself toward the hospital. Once there, he met up with Tsunade, Shizune and Sakura and begged them to help the man who had fed him for all those lost and lonely years.

Naruto stayed around the hospital and helped when he could, using his massive reserves of chakra to help boost the healing abilities of the various medic and doctors, most notably Sakura. Her chakra reserves over the years had grown, but they were nowhere near what she needed for what she did. Sakura, like her knuckleheaded teammate, liked to push herself harder than she should. Over the next several days, Naruto had to stop her several times to rest and recover. Toward the end, the stress finally hit her hard, and she broke down. Naruto, seeing the lady that he loved crying her eyes out, did what came naturally. He walked over and held her close, letting her lean on him, physically and emotionally. When she was done, Naruto had a soaked jacket which he laughed about as Sakura blushed a deep scarlet. She began to apologize for her weakness when she looked up in his eyes and saw something that she had overlooked for years and years. Sakura had later told him that she saw nothing but pure, unadulterated love in his eyes that day. It wasn't long after that Sakura asked him out on a date. A year later, they were married, much to the surprise to all their friends.

Naruto finished up taking care of his wife, then reached over and stroked her cheek. She smiled in her sleep and snuggled into his hand like she always did. Naruto smiled back, this was something he did every morning when he woke up, and she reacted the same way each and every day. Once more, he thanked God for his blessings as his wife began to stir from her slumber.

"Mmmm, Sasuke…" she muttered softly as she turned her head toward Naruto's hand. The Toad Sage chuckled softly at this, knowing full well that his best friend was the last person she had seen before falling asleep.

"No, my little blossom, it's your husband," he whispered into her ear as he bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Sakura slowly opened her eyes and gazed into the bright blue orbs of her mate. "How are you feeling?"

"Naruto," she whispered hoarsely, her throat still sore from the screams and cries of childbirth. "You made it."

"Of course I did," he replied cheerfully as he grabbed a glass and filled it with ice water and a straw. He carefully placed the straw to her lips, allowing her to sip and ease the pain in her throat. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there for the birth. I wasn't there for you," he added sadly.

"That…that's okay," she said softly as she tried to sit up some in her bed, causing her husband to reach over and help her up some, propping a few pillows back behind her to help support her. "I didn't know I was going to go into labor today. I was the one that sent you out today, remember? I'm just glad you asked Sasuke to look in on me… ooohhh…" she moaned. Naruto quickly reached over and took her free hand, doing his best to comfort her.

"You okay, hon?" the blonde asked nervously, scared that some thing was wrong with his wife. This was, after all, their first child. The first of many. He hoped. If she didn't kill him for putting her through this first.

"Just a little sore, baby," she answered back, taking her other hand from Sasuke's and placing it gingerly on her now deflated stomach. Before he could dash outside and yell for Shizune, she grasped his hand tighter. "I'll be okay, I promise."

"You're sure?" he worried, but a quick nod from her reassured him. Naruto let out a big sigh of relief before noticing that his best friend and brother was beginning to stir from his own sleep. "About time you woke, you worthless bum!"

"Naruto?" he asked as he stretched in the chair in which he sat. Opening his eyes, Sasuke turned and glared at the hyperactive Sage that stood on the other side of the bed. "Who are you calling a 'worthless bum', you stinking pile of cow turds?" Naruto sniffed his armpits and clothing before walking around the bed to look the Uchiha square in the eye.

"What do you mean 'stinking'? I'll have you know, I took a shower just last month, like clockwork!" he replied, doing his best to match Sasuke's harsh glance with one of his own. He failed, as a huge foxy grin split his face, one that was matched by his friend. Both Jonin clasped right hands and enveloped each other in a proper man-hug.

"Thanks for being there for us, bro. For being here now!" Naruto said gruffly, doing his damnedest not to cry. "If I had lost her, lost them…"

"I understand, man, I really do," the dark-haired Uchiha replied as he glanced past his best friend and looked at Sakura. She turned and looked away from the sight of male bonding.

"So," Naruto quickly broke the embrace and turned to his wife as he looked around the room somewhat, " where is my son? I was kinda hoping that he would have been in here so that I could properly greet him." Sakura's eyes widened slightly before she spoke up.

"Shizune had him sent to the nursery right after he was born," the pink haired Namikaze replied as Sasuke stepped out the door. Naruto looked a little worried about that. "It's just routine. Standard procedure. They were going to clean him up, weight him, and such…" Naruto nodded his head in understanding. Several minutes passed before Sasuke and a nurse walked back into the room, the nurse carrying a small, moving bundle in her arms.

"Lord Namikaze, would you like to hold your son?" she asked gently as she passed the squirming, wrapped bundle over to him. He frowned inwardly for the briefest of moments. Ever since he had come back from his Sage training, more and more people began to use that title with him. It was no wonder that Jiraiya had dislike it when people used it with him, it felt so false. All dark thoughts passed from him though in the instant he held the small bundle of life in his arms.

From the moment that Naruto had learned that Sakura was pregnant, he did something that everyone thought was silly at the time. He talked to the baby. He would always fall to his knees and give Sakura's belly a hug right after he had done the same with her. He would sit and talk to both of them for hours, as Sakura would giggle at the silliness of his actions. On days that he would forget to talk to his son before he left for work, the baby would give Sakura all sorts of fits until she would track him down or until someone would drag the blonde knucklehead home to talk to the baby. After Sakura was put on bed rest, he would come home in the evening and lay there speaking soothingly to his son, gently sending warm waves of chakra into his wife's belly to help ease her and the baby's discomfort. It worked every time.

"That's strange," the nurse stated a she watched the small baby become still as he laid in his father's arms. "He's been the busiest and loudest baby I've seen in a long time. Nothing but fussy since we took him to the nursery. But just look at him now! You are going to be one hell of a father!" Naruto blushed at her statement.

"Yeah, he's definitely a daddy's boy," the blonde whispered as he gazed down at the precious bundle in his arms. The baby in his arms reached out with one pudgy little arm and touched his face, his little eyes still closed but a small baby smile caressing his lips. "Look, he's smiling!"

"Aww," the nurse cooed as she looked down on the little bundle of energy in his father's arms, before a look from the Uchiha caused her to frown and leave the room. "I'll come back by later to take him back to the nursery. You should get to know him."

"Thank you, nurse!" Naruto beamed as he turned back to his wife, a smile brighter than any she had ever seen before adorning his face. "Look Sakura, our son!" Sakura smile softly as she watched her husband walk toward her, their son in his arms. He sat down beside her in the chair previously occupied by Sasuke and began to study his son's features in the light provided by the lamp over Sakura's bed.

"Something wrong, baby?" his wife asked cautiously as a strange look took over Naruto's face. Sasuke stood in the corner of the room furthest from the new family, his hands in his pockets. Naruto continued to look at his son as he began to reply to his wife.

"Not really. You know how a baby usually looks something like his parents? You know, like Asuma and Kurenai's little girl looked just like her mother, but had her father's eyes? The same with Iruka and Ayame's little boy. But you know, I really can't tell who's feature's he has? They seem so familiar, but I really can't place them…" he said as he handed the baby to his wife, who had stuck out her hands to hold the little Namikaze.

"Well you know, sometimes that just doesn't happen," Sakura said quickly as she took her baby in her arms, who promptly began to squirm and fuss as soon as he was out of his father's reach. Naruto began to say some thing in return when the blanket on the top of the baby's head fell away, revealing a head full of jet black hair.

Naruto's heart tightened in his chest, realizing that something was wrong. From what he knew of both his and Sakura's family, no one in at least the past five generations had black hair. A deep dread began to crawl into his gut as the little baby in Sakura's arms finally opened his eyes, revealing not sky blue nor green, but black. It all began to click into place, the color of the hair and eyes, the shape of the eyes, nose, mouth, and chin. They were all unmistakable. The baby in his wife's arms, the one he had grown to love more than life itself, the one he would talk to for hours each day , the one that became the center of his universe was not his.

The baby's true father was Sasuke Uchiha.


	2. Chapter 2

To Live is So Much Harder.....

Chapter 2

**A/N**: _I still don't own Naruto! Bummer!_

"What?" he gasped as he looked into the eyes of his loving wife, only to see that she refused to look back into his. "Please tell me it isn't true," Sakura refused to answer him.

"Why?" he turned back toward his brother and stormed over to him. His heart felt like someone had stabbed him in the heart with a dull kunai. "Why would you two do this to me?"

"Naruto, I wish I could tell you I'm sorry for what we've done, but I can't" Sasuke said as he continued to refuse to look the Toad Sage in the eye, "Sakura and I, we love each other…"

"WHY? GOD DAMN IT! WHY?" Naruto bellowed as he grabbed Sasuke by the front of his shirt. His heart had just shattered into a thousand pieces, and it was worse than any pain he had ever felt in his life. It was worse than when Sasuke had rammed a Chidori into his chest, trying to kill him. Right now, his best friend had just destroyed his whole universe. His voice dropped into a hoarse whisper as he pulled Sasuke's face close to his own. "How long? Just how long have you been fucking my wife, Uchiha?"

"God, Naruto, please stop this!" Sakura begged as the baby in her arms began to cry. Naruto refused to turn back to his wife and continued to stare the Uchiha in the eye. Sasuke attempted to activate his Sharingan, but Naruto's power now far exceeded his own. Using just his Sage abilities, Naruto shut down Sasuke's access to his blood limit. His normally blue eyes shifted to red with slits as his anger began to rise at the betrayal he felt.

"How long, Uchiha?" he growled, his fangs growing longer by the second. Sasuke's eyes grew large, knowing full well that he was powerless before the rage of his former best friend.

"Just after I got out of jail," Sasuke whispered as he tore his eyes from Naruto's, staring now at the floor beneath his feet. "She and I talked a lot when I was serving my time, and we both grew to love each other. I'm not sorry I love her, I'm just sorry at how badly we've hurt you."

"You lie!" the Kyuubi container snarled as his nails grew into claws. "You must have used your Sharingan to place her under a genjutsu! She would never betray me like that!!" The blonde Jonin pulled back his free hand and poised his claws to tear out the Uchiha's throat. "Prepare to die, you son of a bitch!!!"

"Naruto, stop! I love him! Please don't kill him!! He's my baby's father!!!" Sakura screamed, hoping and praying that he wouldn't kill her lover. Naruto's heart now shattered into a million pieces, rather than just a thousand. The woman that he loved more than life itself had just confessed her love for his former best friend, as well as her sin. Claws tore at his chest as he dropped Sasuke to the floor and turned to his wife, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Why, Sakura? Why did you do this to me?" he begged as he walked over to her, his features back to normal, but the sadness in his eyes and on his face was enough to break even the coldest heart. "You were everything to me! I…I lived for you, you know that? What…what did I do wrong? What did I do that was so wrong that you would have to go running to him?" She looked up at him, her tears matching the tears that were now streaming down his face.

"Nothing. You did nothing wrong, Naruto. This wasn't about you, it was about Sasuke and me, and the love I've had for him since we were kids. When we talked, it just got stronger and stronger, until we couldn't fight it any more. I really didn't mean to hurt you, Naruto," his wife replied, her head now bowed, allowing her pink tresses to hide her face. The baby in her arms continued to cry.

"It wasn't about me? You're my wife, goddamn it! This was damn sure about me at one point or another! Haven't I always treated you right? Haven't I always been there for you during all your ups and downs? What about the love I've held for you ever since we met, did that count for nothing?" he cried, his tears now flowing in a constant stream. "What? Was I just a standby, a second choice until your precious Sasuke came back from whatever the hell he was doing? Just second best, ready to be disposed of whenever you got tired of me? Did the two of you have a good laugh at my expense, seeing poor stupid Naruto living a lie, thinking that his wife was faithful and really loved him?"

"I did love you, Naruto, I do love you. But just not like I love Sasuke, not as strongly, not as deeply. You were always my best friend, Naruto, someone I could always depend on…" Sakura explained, trying to calm her husband but still refusing to look him in the eye.

"…but just not someone you could spend the rest of your life with! Not someone you could be faithful to! Not someone you could be a wife to! Tell me, did you ever really love me as your husband, or did you always pretend that I was him? Did you fantasize about him every time we made love? Was I ever in your heart?" Sakura continued to refuse to look at him.

"I…I don't know, Naruto," Sakura mumble softly, honestly not knowing how to answer his questions. " I loved him first, but when he was gone, I learned to love you! You were in my heart, always! When I was with you, I never thought about Sasuke…much. You were never second best. But after you brought him back, the old feelings resurfaced. Yes, after you brought him back, I did…think of him. Every time we made love. I couldn't help it. Then he confessed his feelings for me….I don't know. I just couldn't help myself."

"That has got to be the biggest bullshit answer I've ever heard," the blonde muttered, his chest feeling like someone had torn it from his body. His head hurt, he was dizzy, and he felt weak. His wife had just confessed that she dreamed of the Uchiha when she was with him. That hurt worse than he thought it could, but it wasn't over yet. He turned back to his former friend. "You. After all I did for you, you betray me like this! I saved you from Madara and Pein! I saved you from Tsunade and the Council! They wanted to kill you the minute you returned! I begged and pleaded with them to spare your life! I was the one who convinced them to only give you a few months in prison, rather than a life sentence! I spent years of my life to grow stronger to save you and keep my promise to my wife!! What the fuck happened, man? You just couldn't stand the fact I had something you didn't? The Great Sasuke Uchiha was so jealous of the dead-last that he had to steal his wife?" Sasuke still refused to meet his eyes.

"Sakura," Naruto continued as he gulped great breaths of air, enough that it worried her that he was going to hyperventilate. Tears still streamed from his eyes as his voice got hoarse and quiet. "How long did you know? How long have you known you weren't carrying… my child?" Naruto was really hoping that he could pull something from this mess, that maybe something could be salvaged from he and his wife's relationship. He looked at the both of them, as Sasuke had moved over to the other side of the bed and stood next to Sakura. Their eyes told him what he didn't want to know.

"Umm, since the beginning…" his wife whispered, looking down at the fussing baby, who still refused to calm. Sasuke reached out and took the screaming child in his arms, which did nothing but cause it to scream louder. He quickly handed it back off to Sakura. Naruto's eyes widened as his heart dropped even further than it had previously.

"Okay, so you planned this all along," he said softly, as all the heartache and pain leaked into his voice, "You knew you were pregnant with his child, and you knew how I'd react. I guess you just wanted to see the look on the idiot's face when he found out, huh? I hope you enjoyed it! Just tell me, how did you know?" His wife sighed.

"I promise you, baby, that I never wanted to hurt you," she cried softly, "but we knew it couldn't be helped. Being a medical nin, I knew the day that our baby…"

"Our baby," Sasuke added, causing the Namikazes to glare at him.

"…the baby was conceived. I knew who the father was because…well, you know. Before I could say anything, Oto attacked. I told Sasuke afterwards about the baby, then I got with you and told you I was ready to start a family," she concluded, exhaustion beginning to take it's toll on her. Her face grew pale, and she began to feel weak, but she continued to hold on to the baby securely.

"So, you purposely had me believe that another man's child was my own. You knew how much I was looking forward to being a father! You knew how happy your news made me! I never had a family, I guess I never will…" Naruto's head hung low, his eyes hidden from view. He walked over to Sakura and the baby and reached over and gently rubbed the child's cheeks, causing the baby to immediately become quiet once more. A sad smile crossed his face as he looked down on the smiling newborn. "Little one, in the nine months that you were in your Momma, you made me that happiest I had ever been in my entire life! I love…loved you so much that I would have done anything for you, even giving you the stars and the moon. But now…well, I want you to be happy with your parents, and be a good little boy. I won't be bothering any of you any more."

"Naruto?" his wife asked, a strange pleading look in her eyes. Naruto tried to be civil, but it just wasn't in his heart.

"What? Do you really expect me to raise another man's child? Do you really think that I'm stupid enough to think that this was a one time thing, and that you'll now be loyal to me now that you were caught? Do you really think that you would be able to keep your husband and your lover too? That I would _share_ you? Sorry, Sakura, but it doesn't work that way! I'm going to take myself out of your life so that you, Sasuke, and the baby can be a family. You won't have to worry about Naruto Namikaze any more!" With that, he gave his wife, his former friend, and their child one last sad look, and then walked out the door. Sasuke and Sakura were next to each other in stunned silence, but the baby had no problem making any sort of noise whatsoever. The moment that Naruto left the room, the little one screamed louder than it ever had before. Sakura worked and worked to calm him, but nothing worked.

"Oh my god, Sasuke, what are we going to do?" she asked her lover, who looked as lost and clueless as she felt. "What about Naruto?"

"I don't know, hon, I really don't know…"

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Naruto slowly walked out of the hospital and down the street, his head down and his hands in his pockets. He wasn't paying attention to where his feet were taking, mainly due to the war that was raging within his mind. He was blind and deaf to everything around him.

**"That bitch! That lying slut! That fucking whore!! Let me out!! I want to rage!! KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!" **the Kyuubi screamed down in the depths of Naruto's mind. The blonde was curled up in a ball and laying on his side in the water that ran through the sewer of his mind. He merely allowed the waves of hate and anger wash over him, his eyes staring blankly ahead, his back to the cage.

"Kyuubi…" he whispered, but wasn't heard by the Nine-Tailed Fox, who continued to slam into his cage headfirst, the vibrations shaking the ground greater than any earthquake.

**"That traitorous Uchiha!! He's a bad as the rest of his cursed clan!! He BETRAYED YOU!! HE BETRAYED US!! OUR MATE BETRAYED US!!! KILLKILLKILLKILLKILL!!!!!!!! WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM WHEN WE COULD!! WE SHOULD HAVE TORN HIS INNARDS FROM HIS BODY!!" **the demon continued to roar, his eyes red with bloodlust. He was feeling something that was alien to him, which was nothing new especially since he had been imprisoned within the hyperactive blonde. He was feeling _hurt_. He had felt many, many things in his long life: hate, rage, glee, bloodlust, the sheer pleasure of crushing those weaker than himself, the utter satisfaction of reeking total destruction. However, since his life-force was now being merged with his container's, the pathway between the two became a two-way street.

Whereas Naruto had gained the fox's ferocity, rage, and strength, the Kyuubi had gained access to things he had never known before. He learned of compassion, happiness, and most importantly, love. These were strange feelings, but over time, he came to welcome them. He could feel Naruto's joy when Sakura agreed to become his wife. He felt Naruto's happiness and contentment whenever he and Sakura held each other. He felt the pain of separation whenever they were parted, and the utter thrill of their reunions. He felt the pride whenever Naruto discovered that he was going to be a father. He showed Naruto how to channel his chakra into a warm and loving blanket that could be used to bond with and comfort the child within his mate's womb. Sakura had become his mate as well. The kit was his as well, even if he refused to admit it.

Unfortunately, all this had a downside. He felt the pain, the hurt, the heartache of Sakura's betrayal. The Kyuubi had a broken heart. Who would have thought? This led to his current state. He felt pain, pain greater than any he ever had experienced. It was killing him, tearing him asunder.

**"LET ME OUT!! I CANNOT STAND THIS!! RELEASE ME!! WE NEED TO RAIZE THIS VILLAGE TO THE GROUND!! WE'LL TEAR THE VERY EARTH TO IT'S CORE!! THIS WORLD WILL KNOW OUR PAIN!! RELEASE ME, KIT!! WE WILL MAKE THEM PAY, MAKE THEM ALL PAY!!!!!!!"**

"No, Kyuubi," Naruto whispered, "it's not their fault. I'm to blame. Leave the world be." The Kyuubi stopped his thrashing and stared at his container in confusion and shock.

**"What?! Just what the hell do you mean, you idiot? How are we to blame? It was that rat bastard and his slut that were thinking with their crotches that are to blame, not us!!"** the Fox shot back, expecting the curled up blonde to respond in someway, but was disappointed when nothing happened. **"Kit, you're not giving up, are you? You never give up! Go back and force that bitch to love us again!!"**

"I can't. It's over. You can't force love, fox. I learned that a long time ago. Or at least I thought I did," Naruto whispered as the water in the sewer began to grow deeper and deeper, threatening to drown him.

**"Oh shit! Kit!! Get up! You gotta get up and out of here! If you die in here, you're mind will be gone, and then we're of no use to anyone. We'll just be an empty shell, taking up space and good for nothing!"** Kyuubi admonished, reaching through the cage as far as he could, nudging the unresponsive blonde with one claw.

"Too late. I'm already good for nothing. Sakura's mother was right. I'm nothing. I'll never be anything. I'm not even a father, anymore." he muttered as the water rose higher and higher.

**"Damn it! What about your dream, kit? What about being Hokage, just like your father? What about protecting everyone who is precious to you? What about that, huh?"** Kyuubi asked, doing his best to rouse his jailor from his current state.

"I was willing to give up on my dream just to be a husband and father. Just to have a family. Now, I'm neither. Let me go, fox," he sobbed meekly, as the water began to creep over his mouth and nose.

"Hey, Naruto!" a familiar voice called out, automatically drawing him from his mindscape.

"Huh?" he asked as he looked up and saw who was calling to him. Ino was standing in front of Ichiraku's Ramen Stand while her two teammates sat on stools behind her, happily eating their noodles. She was waving frantically at him.

"How's it going?" she hollered out, causing Shikamaru to cringe.

"_Oh god, not her, not now_," he mentally begged, but to no avail. He plastered his silly grin on his face and waved back at her, greeting her warmly. Or at least he thought he did. Instead, he turned to her, his face fallen, his tears still pouring down his face, his eyes no longer their normal bright blue. They were dull and lifeless. He struggled to pull one hand from his pocket and raise it.

"hi…" he whispered so softly that Ino almost missed it. Her eyes grew large as she saw the absolute devastation and despair that was etched upon his normally happy and annoying face. His chin quivered as he struggled in vain to contain his emotions. Dropping his hand, he slowly turned back toward the path and began to shuffle back down it once more. He disappeared before Ino's startled eyes in a gust of wind.

"What…what the hell was wrong with him? I've never seen him that down in the dumps before, even when… Jiraiya… died… OH MY GOD!!" Ino yelped as she turned back to her friends, her hands covering her mouth. She turned deathly pale and began to tremble uncontrollably. Choji and Shikamaru turned back around to her as soon as they heard her outburst.

"Ino, what's wrong?" Choji asked, his eyes filled with concern for his blonde teammate. She continued to tremble until he and Shikamaru stood up and placed their hands on her shoulders.

"Naruto…he looked so sad! He looked worse than he did when his sensei died! Something must have happened to either Sakura or the baby! Come on! We gotta get to the hospital!!" she screamed as she shook off their hands and leapt full speed toward the hospital, her teammates right on her heels.


	3. Chapter 3

To Live Is so Much Harder....

Chapter 3

Naruto slowly opened the door to the house he and his wife had, until very recently, so happily shared. It hurt his chest to walk through the doors and to see all the memories that they had made in the past five years.

"It's all fake. It's a joke. It's all false," he muttered sadly as he walked to their bedroom, but was sidetracked when he noticed the door to the nursery was slightly ajar. His breath caught in his throat as he gently reached out and pushed it open all the way. He looked in, as a sad smile formed on his face.

In the corner stood the baby bed that he and Sakura had taken such care in picking out. Next to it was the changing table and the dresser that they gotten to match the bed. The walls were painted a light blue, and had pictures of small forest animals painted in various places around the room. Naruto chuckled when he remembered hiring Konohamaru and his genin team to paint the room, as a D-ranked mission. He never would have thought that his little brother would have had such an eye for detail. Over in another corner stood the little wooden toybox that Yamato had made for them. It was overflowing with small stuff animals that their friends and family had given them for the baby. It hit hard just then.

This was originally his parent's house, and it had been given to him as a gift from Tsunade when he and Sakura got married. The room before him was the same room his parents had prepared when his mother was pregnant with him. Neither they nor he had been able to use it, and now the irony of it struck him like a bolt from the blue. This room would never be used. It was cursed. Every time it was made ready for a baby, something happened. The same curse struck him that had struck his parents.

He broke. Roaring with rage, all the beasts of Konoha and it's forest answered in kind, as their howls joined his. The citizens were unnerved as the cacophony from Nature raised the hair on the back of their necks, and caused the weaker of the to fall to their knees. In the Inuzuka compound, the dog handlers were at a loss as to what was causing the commotion. Naruto slid to the floor, his energy spent as great sobs wracked his body, tears flowing greater now than they had previously. He had failed. He had let his parents down. He had let his friends down. He had let his village down. Worst of all, he had let himself down.

"**Please, kit, stop**," Kyuubi begged, tears appearing in his eyes for the first time in his existence. "**Please, it hurts. I can't stand it. Make it stop, please**." However, his host was unable to answer, for he was too lost in his own misery to be able to stop the misery of anyone else. After an untold number of hours, exhaustion finally claimed Naruto as he passed out in a crumpled heap in an unoccupied corner of the Chamber of Pain.

When he finally awoke, the blonde Kyuubi container rubbed his red and puffy eyes before staring out the window, only to discover that darkness had fallen over the worst day of his entire life. Slowly, he pulled himself up from the cold floor and stumbled over to the transparent portal to the harsh world beyond. The smiling crescent moon seemed to watch him and smirk at him and his pathetic condition.

"Hn, even the fucking moon seems to enjoy my misery," Naruto mumbled as he turned toward the door that led to the rest of his house and left the silent nursery behind. He walked into his bedroom and opened up the closet, carefully ignoring all of Sakura's clothing as he reached up and pulled a huge stack of blank scrolls down from the shelf within. He shuffled slowly to the kitchen and dumped the scrolls on the table before creating thirty shadow clones.

"Okay," Naruto began hoarsely, his throat still raw with emotion, " I want you twenty there to start packing all of Sakura's and the baby's stuff and place them in these sealing scrolls. The other ten will pack my stuff and do the same. Make sure that you do not get them mixed up and mark them plainly." The clones looked at him sadly before turning to their tasks. Naruto walked over to his desk and pulled yet another scroll, along with a pen and his personal seal. He felt something stir within him, but he tried his best to ignore it.

"**Kit, what are you planning?**" the Fox asked. The two-way channel between he and his jailor had been blocked, causing him to worry about his blonde container.

"I'm setting them free, Kyuubi. I'm making them happy," Naruto replied as he continued to scribble on the scroll, using nearly all of his self-control to accomplish the task.

"**What? Aren't you going to fight for them? Are you just giving them up?**" Kyuubi asked in a state of shock. He didn't want Naruto to give up, he didn't want to hurt like he had been and wanted to do nothing more than go and claim their family back from the Uchiha.

"No, I'm not going to fight for them," replied the Hokage-to-be, "Even if I won, they wouldn't be happy with me. I can see that now. I only want them to be happy, and obviously I'm not the one they want." With that, he finished the scroll and sealed it before creating another clone and sending it to Lady Tsunade with said scroll.

"**I hate you**," the Kitsune said halfheartedly as he crawled into the furthest corner of his cell, laying his head on his paws and beginning to whimper.

"I know, I'm used to it," Naruto replied sadly as he watched his clones slowly empty his house of the memories that he had accumulated over the past five years.

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Ino was very troubled as she and her teammates walked back from their visit to Konoha General. As quickly as they could, they had ran to the hospital to see if Sakura and the baby were alright, only to discover that both were physically fine. Ino looked over and saw the baby in his mother's arms and just had to rush over and check him out. He was the cutest thing Ino had ever seen, and even Choji was quickly wrapped around the little baby's finger. When Ino turned toward Shikamaru with the baby in her arms, she quickly noticed the disgruntled look on his face.

"What's wrong, Shika? He won't bite, you know!" she beamed as she walked over to the Nara heir and held the baby for him to see. Her teammate quickly glanced at the baby and just as quickly glanced at Sasuke, who was standing by the bed next to Sakura.

"You bastard," Shikamaru seethed quietly through his teeth as he continued to stare at the head of the Uchiha clan. Sasuke quickly looked away from the Nara, becoming most interested by the pattern of the floor tiles. Ino was shocked beyond belief.

"Shikamaru!," Ino barked as quietly as she could, holding the baby closer to her chest. "How DARE you say something like that about the baby?!" Flames shot from her eyes as Shikamaru looked back down at the sleeping bundle in her arms, his eyes and face softening slightly.

"Not him, Ino," Shikamaru replied as he looked up into her cornflower-blue eyes and pointed to the Uchiha behind her, "HIM!" Ino rapidly spun and looked over at the dark haired man.

"Sasuke? What about him?" Ino asked, puzzled. Choji got what Shikamaru was saying and quickly stepped over to the side of the room, not wanting to be in the line of fire.

"Troublesome. Ino, not even you can be that blind," the Nara stated as he crossed his arms once more. "Take a close look at the baby again and tell me who he looks like: Sakura or Naruto."

"Uh, well," she answered as she looked closer at the baby's features. Her brows furrowed as she did everything she could to figure out the answer to Shikamaru's riddle. Giving up, she merely shook her head. "I give up, I can't tell. Who does he look like?"

"Ino," Choji said softly from the side, "Why did we come here in the first place?"

"Well, duh, to see if Sakura and the baby were okay," the blonde answered as she looked back at her pink-haired friend that still looked awful pale from her ordeal. Sakura's eyes seemed dull and lifeless, refusing to meet hers.

"And why did we come here to check up on them?" Shikamaru asked, his eyes still locked onto the Uchiha. He was fighting the urge to pull out a cigarette and light up. _"What a fucking drag!_" he thought.

"Because how upset Naruto was when we saw him earlier," the Yamanaka girl answered, getting frustrated at the questions and the situation. She unconsciously blew at the blonde bang that fell in front of the right eye.

"So if the two of them are okay, then why was Naruto so upset?" Choji asked softly as his eyes turned back to the couple that didn't seem to want them to connect the dots.

"I don't know! That's what we're here to find out, right? And what does this have to do with who the baby looks like?"

"Ino, what color is his hair?" Shikamaru asked, his teeth gritting with anger at the Uchiha. He wanted to punch him out so badly that it hurt, then he wanted to go and check on Kurenai and her daughter.

"Who's hair?" Ino asked innocently, still not putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"The baby's!!" Shikamaru barked back, rather exasperated at his blonde teammate.

"Huh? It's black, why?" she asked, then a puzzled look crossed her face. "Wait a sec, Naruto is a blonde and Sakura has pink hair, so why does the baby…have…black…hair…OH SHIT!!!" she exclaimed, which promptly awaked the tiny bundle in her arms. Black eyes shot open as an ear-piercing wail of a magnitude unknown to any of them ever before assaulted their ears.

"Damn it, Ino! We just got him quiet and asleep before you came in," Sakura said tiredly as the blonde quickly handed the thrashing bundle over to his mother. The pink-haired medic began to rock and coo at the baby, doing everything she could think of to comfort the little one in her arms. Shikamaru and Choji made a beeline for the door, only to be grabbed by their collars by a furious blonde and dragged back into the room.

"Oh hell no! We're not going anywhere until we get some answers!" Ino growled in a voice that caused her friends to cower in fear in the furthest corner of the room. After about half an hour, the baby finally calmed back down and went back to sleep, much to the relief of everyone else on the floor.

"Alright you two!" Ino said to Sasuke and Sakura, who knew they were trapped without any possibility for escape, "What the hell happened?"

"Uh, well, it's kinda like this…" Sakura began to tell her tale, which after many interruptions and side discussions, lasted several hours. Ino, Choji, and Shikamaru, utterly disgusted by their friends' actions, finally left the small family alone for the night and went to their favorite barbeque restaurant and mulled over everything that they had learned.

"Ino, are you okay?" Choji asked as they walked from the restaurant toward their respective homes. Ino, not realizing that she had zoned out on them, was startled at the question.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, Choji, I'm okay! I'm just still trying to sort out everything that we heard today," she replied, focusing on her large friend. A look of sadness crossed his face.

"Yeah, it's a real kick in the nads," he responded. He was having trouble believing what had happened. "You know, I always thought Naruto and Sakura were the perfect couple. They always seemed so happy and so into each other, you know?"

"Yeah," Shikamaru added as he took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled sharply from his nose, "It just goes to show you. Life has a way of fucking you over when you least suspect it. I wonder if what we saw from the Namikazes was just an act? Did they really hate each other and fight like crazy when nobody was around? Did they really hate each other?" Ino violently shook her head, her blonde ponytail whipping around in a frenzy.

"No! Naruto was happy! I always saw him smile, a really one! Not that fake one he always plastered on his face when we were kids!" she vehemently defended, "Sakura loved him too! It all went to hell when Sasuke came back!" Flames once more shot from her eyes.

"Sasuke's not the only to blame, Ino," Shikamaru responded, shaking his head sadly. Ino turned to glare at him. "Sakura must bear some of the responsibility as well."

"Yeah, it takes two to tango," Choji added sadly. "I feel so sorry for Naruto! I just can't imagine what he's going through, losing his wife and his son to his best friend. If I ever lost Aoi like that…," He shuddered at the thought of his girlfriend leaving him. They met when she was hired as a waitress at his family's restaurant and had been dating for a year now. The two of them were just now beginning to talk about marriage and settling down.

"Yeah, same here with Temari," Shikamaru agreed, feeling a pain in his chest at the thought of Temari leaving him. It was something he didn't want to think about. Ino looked at him from the corner of her eyes, marveling at the rare display of emotion that was so evident in his voice. "That must be why I reacted so badly back there."

"Now maybe you'll see how Temari feels when you spend so much time with Kurenai and her kid," she said gently as she placed her hand on his arm. Shikamaru nodded his head softly, his eyes downcast.

"Well, guys, I'll see you two tomorrow," Choji said as they came to an intersection in the road and turned off to head back home. A sad smile crossed his face as he waved good-bye to them, the smiling crescent moon watching them over his shoulder.

"Alright, 'night Choji!" Ino waved back to her friend before she and Shikamaru turned back to their journey. They walked for another five minutes or so before they noticed a familiar figure walking slowly toward them, a scroll in his hand.

"Naruto?" Ino asked incredulously, causing her fellow blonde to stop and turn to them. The look in his eyes shattered Ino's heart. All life was gone from them.

"Huh? Oh, hey guys. Naw, I'm just a clone," the shadow clone replied as he regarded his friends, "Boss is still at home, getting things together."

"Why did he send you out?" Shikamaru asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. Ino was wondering about that as well.

"Uh, he's sending me to the Hokage with this," the clone answered as he held the scroll up. The Nara recognized the official Namikaze seal set on the scroll, causing him to scowl somewhat.

"Is that what I think it is?" Shikamaru queried, causing the clone to nod in agreement. "Troublesome. Very troublesome, not that I can blame him though." Ino looked on, rather confused.

"What is it, Shika?" Her friend shook his head sadly.

"It's not for me to say, Ino, it's not for me to say," he said sadly, causing his blonde teammate to worry.

"Well, I gotta go," Shadow-Naruto said as he began to walk away from them, before turning back, "Hey, Ino, can I ask a favor? I know it's kinda out of your way, but can you go and check up on the Boss? I'm worried about him."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Ino replied, thinkning it was strange for a clone to express concern for it's creator, " it's not too far from my house, and it's on Shika's way anyway. We'll check up on him."

"Great! Thanks a lot!" he said as he began his journey once more. Ino and Shikamaru looked back him before resuming their own.

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Naruto looked around at his now empty house. His clones had followed his orders to the letter, everything was pack up into the sealing scrolls. Every dish, every bit of furniture, every picture, every stitch of clothing , every weapon, every single thing was sealed. The house was now empty and barren, save for he and his remaining clones. It was like the very soul had been sucked from the house.

"Alright, now I want half of you to take Sakura's and the baby's scrolls over to the Uchiha's compound and leave them on his doorstep" he directed his clones, who slowly picked up the scrolls and walked out the door, taking one last look at the house and their shattered creator. In the blink of an eye, they disappeared into the cold night. Naruto drew in a wavering breather before turning back to the rest of his crew.

"Okay, I want the rest of you to take my stuff over to the Hokage's place and have her put them into the family vaults," he said his strength slowly but surely giving out. The volume of his voice was sinking , causing some of his clones to look at him with concern.

"Um, Boss? How can you live in a house with all your stuff locked up? There's not even a bed or bedroll in here for you to sleep on! Why don't you keep the scroll out with your camping stuff and at least sleep comfortably tonight?" one of the Shadow-Naruto's asked as he looked at his creator, who looked dead to the world. Naruto merely smiled at the concern his clones were showing for him.

"That's okay, guys. For one, I'll never sleep in that bed again! Don't worry about me, I'll sleep comfortably tonight, the floor's not that hard!" he replied, trying to force a smile on his face and a chuckle in his voice. It didn't work. With a wave of his hand, he sent his clones out on their mission.

"**Kit, what's going on?" **the Kyuubi asked, getting really worried about the mental state of his host. Naruto had managed to shut down the two-way communications between the two of them, so he had no idea what Naruto was doing, nor what was going on in his mind. Kyuubi was once more locked totally within his seal. "**You're beginning to scare me, kit!"**

"It's nothing, Kyuubi. There's nothing to worry about," Naruto replied, his voice thick with melancholy as he began to wonder from room to room within his house. He would stop and stare at the room for several minutes before moving on to the next one.

His memories flashing to the times he spent with those precious to him. The times he and Shikamaru would spend playing Chess in the living room while Sakura and Choji would retreat to the kitchen to make up a huge mess of snacks. The time Kiba and he had tried to wash Akimaru in the bathroom and had ended up chasing a huge, wet, and soapy dog through the rest of the house before said mutt leapt up and landed on Hinata, covering the young Hyuga in a huge amount of suds. He and Kiba tried to hold back on their laughter but was unable to control themselves, causing his…wife… to come out and punch the two of them into tomorrow. The time that he had discovered a huge beehive in the backyard and had to get Shino to come over and remove them for him, before one bee got free and chased a screaming Naruto through and out of the house. It took a long time to live that one down. He could face hordes of missing nins, but one single bee had brought him to his knees.

Naruto wondered into the dining room, where he remembered some of the rather interesting dinners that they had in there. Like the time Iruka and Ayame were over and Iruka finally went down on one knee and proposed to the ramen maker's daughter. They held the wedding in the backyard, where he had the pleasure of watching Tsunade, Shizune, Anko, and Kurenai get shitfaced drunk and begin a game of strip poker. Kiba and most of the other male guests were rooting for Tsunade to win, but unfortunately the Hokage's luck held out and she was thankfully stopped from having to remove her kimono by an irate Sakura.

The dining room was also the same place he and Sakura had finally convinced a starving Ino that dieting like she had been doing was killing her. He had finally force her to sit down at the table and eat a huge bowl of ramen one day when she had come over and passed out from her obsessive behavior. She screamed and clawed and fought, but he had finally forced her to eat the whole bowl and then convince her that she was a very beautiful woman. He was able to drag the reason why she had such a poor self image and reminded her that no matter what one self-important guy may have said, she was not fat. It took a while, and a lot of talking and training, but they finally got her to a good weight. She was much healthier now than she ever had been before.

"Too many memories, too many fucking memories," Naruto muttered as he shuffled further back into the house and looked back into his bedroom, his memories assaulting him again. It was where he and Sakura had consummated their love for the first time. It was where the two of them would stay up into the wee hours of the morning, making plans for the future, talking about what they wanted to accomplish in their carriers. It was where they discussed having children. It was where the baby was conceived. Just not by him.

Naruto's eyes stung with tears as he grimaced and spun on his heel, tearing the door from it's hinges as he stormed from the room and retreated into the nursery. Tears were now blinding him as he stumbled over to the furthest corner of the room and collapsed against the wall, sliding down to the floor. Naruto turned to his left and saw a picture of a cute little fox that had been painted there, the little Kitsune sitting there and smiling at him. Mocking him.

"Fuck you," Naruto snarled as he turned his head from the little chibi fox and tore his headband from his head and hurled it across the room, effectively burying it in the opposite wall. His strength gone, his heart broken, his spirit destroyed, he loosed a great terrible sigh. Closing his eyes, his head fell forward as he felt the slight sting travel up his arm, causing a flare of warmth to flash across his being before darkness and cold began to over take his consciousness.

"**Kit! What the hell?!" **Kyuubi screamed, rattling his cage and tearing desperately at the seal.

"I'm tired, Kyuubi. Good-night…"

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"Ino, you sure you want to do this alone?" Shikamaru asked her as the two of them stopped in front of Naruto's house. She stood there and crossed her arms and glared at her friend.

"Yes, I'm sure! We're talking Naruto here, I don't think I'm going to be in any danger! He's a friend and I owe him big time, so I think I can try to help him in his time of need!" she replied, blowing the bang out of her eye once more. Shikamaru looked at the , doubt clearly evident in his eyes. "Besides, you really need to go see Temari tonight, and I've held you up too long to begin with. Now go! Shoo!"

"All right, all right! I'm going! But if you need anything, just holler and let me know," the Shadow Master said as he turned and walked off, waving to her as she walked up to the door and knocked. No answer.

"Hey! Naruto! Open up!" Ino yelled as she continued to pound on the door, but still, her fellow blonde wouldn't answer. Growling in frustration, she reached up over the doorframe and tapped a certain spot, causing a small panel next to the front door to open. Retrieving the key within, she let herself in, only to stop and gasp in shock at what she saw. "What the hell?"

Ino saw a totally empty house, utterly and completely devoid of any signs of human habitation. This really threw her for a loop, remembering how the house had been decorated to make it feel warm and happy for everyone who had ever had the good fortune of entering the dwelling. Now it was bare, and it felt wrong.

"Naruto? Where the hell are you?" she hollered as she slowly searched through the house, remembering all the good times she and everyone had experienced there. Her life had been saved there. She was getting worried now for her dear friend, the crazy fool who had risked his life and his manhood to force ramen down her throat. The same idiot who held her whenever she broke up with whatever jerk she had been dating and allowed her to cry on his shoulder with nary an unkind word said. The same dumb ass who spent years of his life to bring back an ungrateful bastard.

Ino checked every room in the house until she came to his bedroom. The sight of the shattered door was not a good sign in her eyes. Slowly, carefully she stepped over the sharp bits of wood that littered the floor and gazed once more into an empty room. _"This makes no sense,"_ she thought to herself as she turned and left, heading to the one room she had yet to explore. It was right across the hall and strangely, it was the only room that was shut. It was the nursery.

"Naruto!" she barked as she burst through the door, "What the hell happened to…your…house…" the words died as her senses tried to make since of the scene before her. She thought, for the briefest of seconds, that she was hallucinating, until the smell hit her. It was thick, and it was powerful.

"Oh…my…god…NARUTO!!!!!"


	4. Chapter 4

To Live is So Much Harder....

_**A/N:**__ I don't own Naruto, wish I did, but since I don't I'll just sit here wallow in my own misery! :P_

Chapter 4

"Come in!" Tsunade barked as she lifted her head from her desk, her head pounding slightly from the ungodly amount of sake she had consumed earlier in the day. The loud knocking on the door hadn't helped the situation. She looked up as the door opened and watched her hand picked successor walk into her office. "Hey, Naruto! How's the family?"

"Lady Tsunade," Shadow-Naruto said as he walked up to her desk and stood before her stiffly. The Hokage was a little startled that the annoying blonde was actually acting respectful for once. He never called her 'Lady', it was always 'Granny' or 'Grandma'. "I need to give this to you."

"What's wrong Naruto? I thought you would be with Sakura and your baby right now. What could be so important that it couldn't wait until morning?" the elder blonde asked as she reached out and took the scroll from his hands. Shadow-Naruto refused to answer her, but continued to look down at the floor, flinching rather significantly when his family was mentioned.

"Uh, the scroll will explain everything, Lady Hokage," the clone responded dejectedly, never raising his eyes to meet hers. Tsunade's brows furrowed at the behavior of her young friend, someone that she had actually come to think of as an surrogate son. Still not sure what was going on, Tsunade opened the scroll and began to read it's contents, only to drop it in shock, her mouth hanging wide open.

"You can't be serious!" she barked as she glared at the other blonde in the room, who still refused to look up at her. Slamming her fist hard on her desktop, she stood up from behind her desk and reached over and grabbed the younger ninja by the collar. "How the hell can you do this to her? Especially now of all times? Just what the hell are you thinking?"

"Lady Hokage, if you'll read the rest of the scroll, you'll see the reasons why," the clone said as he tried to fight the tears that wanted to escape and flow down his bewhiskered cheeks. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small box and set it on her desk before her. "I was told to give this to you as well."

"You were told to? You're not the real Naruto, are you?" Tsunade growled as she released her hold on the clone and grabbed the box, only to gasp as she pulled her grandfather's necklace free from it's enclosure. She was shocked and puzzled beyond belief. Naruto would never give this up without a good reason.

"No ma'am, I'm not. I'm a shadow clone sent to deliver this…OH SHIT!!" the clone exclaimed before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Tsunade fell back into her chair, startled at the sudden vanishing of the clone, as well as the contents of the scroll and the box. Her hands shaking, she picked the scroll back up and finished reading it before her face turned white.

"SHIZUNE!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs as she bolted back up out of her chair, punching the top of her desk again and shattering it this time. A split second later, her first apprentice burst through the door, her kimono disheveled as she hadn't had time to properly don it before responding to her master's call.

"Lady Tsunade! What's wrong?" the dark-haired woman asked as Tsunade raced from around the remnants of her abused desk and thrust the scroll into Shizune's face. "What's this?"

"You tell me," the Hokage said through gritted teeth as she crossed her arms and waited for her assistant to finishing reading the document. She watched Shizune's eyes widen as realization stuck.

"A divorce petition, brought by Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze against Sakura Uzumaki Namikaze nee Haruno on charges of Infidelity and Mental Cruelty, listing Sasuke Uchiha as co-defendant on the charge of Alienation of Affection. I'm not surprised," Shizune sighed as she looked up from the document and looked into her master's widened eyes.

"You knew?" Tsunade seethed as she allowed her anger at the situation build up within her. Shizune blanched as she raised her hands up, waving them in defense.

"NO! Not exactly, anyway," Shizune explained as she collapsed into a nearby chair, dreading having to tell her friend face-to-face what she had suspected. "As you know, Sakura had her baby today. Well, I was the one who delivered it for her, and I noticed several things. First off, Sasuke seemed a little more worried and upset than he should have been had he just been a friend helping out. Second, the baby was born with a head full of black hair. Lastly, the baby's facial features matched the Uchiha's, each and every one of them. I wrote it all up in a report and placed it on your desk today before you went to lunch." Tsunade blushed in embarrassment at this, for she had dumped everything that was on her desk today into the largest drawer she had and locked it up before she began her drinking binge.

"Aw crap," Tsunade cursed as she pulled the file folder out of the ruble of her desk. Opening it up, she saw that there was indeed a highly detailed report on the birth of Baby Namikaze. "Shit, this isn't good. Not good at all. Look what Naruto sent back to me." Shizune began to tremble when she recognized the necklace.

"What does it mean, Tsunade?" the apprentice asked, trembling in apprehension. Tsunade shook her head and sighed.

"I have no idea, Shizune. Come on, we need to go talk to Sakura and let her know what's going on, then we need to go and find that knucklehead," Tsunade replied as she walked out the door, heading for the hospital. "Let's just hope that idiot doesn't do anything stupid!"

"Poor Naruto," Shizune whispered as she followed her master.

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The scene before Ino was like something right out of Dracula's wet dreams. The air was thick with the scent of blood, and it was no wonder. The crimson liquid was thick and sticky across the floor, forming a pool that easily engulfed half of the floor. Arterial spray covered the walls and ceilings, turning the light blue nursery into a tie-dyed room of horror. Ino stood there in shock as the realization of what had happened struck her like a freight train. However, it was what was in the middle of the scarlet pool that caused the young Yamanaka to gasp in horror.

"Oh…my…god…Naruto!!!" she screamed as she dashed into the room just in time to see him plunge a kunai straight into his own chest. From the looks of things, it wasn't the first or even the fifth time he had done so. So intent she was on rushing to his side, she forgot to remember that blood was a liquid, so the moment that she step onto that ever growing lake of red she slipped and fell on her backside, sliding clear across the room and slamming into the wall right next to her morbid friend.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Ino yelled as she sat up the best she could and began to check Naruto over, trying to see the extent of the damage. She was covered in a thick layer of blood, matting her hair to her head and face. Reaching up, she flicked her wet hair from her face and began a diagnostic jutsu as she reached down and forced open one of his eyes. They were cold and lifeless, but Ino knew he was still alive due to the torrents of crimson humor that poured from his wounds. She counted at least ten separate stab wounds to his torso, as well as three huge cuts on his left arm that ran from his wrist to the crook of his elbow. They seemed to have been partially healed, but blood still oozed from the gaping chasms that he had opened.

"Ino…" Naruto croaked as he finally acknowledged her presence. He stared at his fellow blonde through dull eyes. "You look like shit…" Ino smirked and snorted at his attempt at humor.

"Well, yeah, you don't look too hot either," she replied as she worked on healing the worst of his wounds, only to have him try to push her back rather ineffectively with his mutilated arm. "Naruto, stop it! I gotta get you stabilized so we can get you to the hospital!"

"**Listen to her kit**!" the Kyuubi yelled as he ran around his cage, pouring his chakra left and right, doing his best to heal the wounds his container had inflicted upon himself, as well as trying to replenish his blood supply. Naruto had already lost three times as much blood as a human held in their body, but thanks to the Kyuubi, he was till producing more and more, not dying as he had hoped to do. "**Come on kit! We gotta live to show all the mother fuckers that they can't get to you! We're too strong to fall for their bullshit!"**

"You're wrong, fox..." Naruto whispered as he gathered what little strength he had left into his right arm. He tensed up as Ino leaned over him and tried to heal the stab wound that was closest to his heart.

"Hey, I know I'm gorgeous, but this isn't the time to hit on me, silly," Ino teased as she moved her crimson stained hands over the gushing wound, pouring healing chakra in as fast as she could. "Besides, you're a married….NARUTO!!!"

Ino screamed as the friend under her care plunged the kunai straight into the seal on his stomach. Inside Naruto's mind, The Kyuubi screamed as a metaphysical blade plunge into his cage from above and pierced his side, sending him into fits of agony and throwing him to the floor of his cell. Tears poured from his eyes as he struggled to stand once more, chakra still pouring from him to his container's wounds, just not as much as before.

"**Damn you, idiot**!" the Kitsune growled before falling to his belly, chakra still pouring from him to heal Naruto.

"Naruto! What are you doing….AAAAAHHHHHH!" Ino yelped as she pulled the kunai from his belly, only to have it slice across her own stomach. It wasn't deep, just a flesh wound, but it caused her bleed like a stuck pig and broke her concentration. She struck his arm and sent the kunai flying across the room, sticking it in the wall furthest from them. "God, Naruto, do you really want to die that badly?"

The dying ninja looked up when he heard his friend cry out, and saw the slash mark across Ino's perfectly toned stomach. He heart fell once more as tears began to pour from his eyes once more. He had hurt his friend and hadn't meant to. "I'm sorry, Ino, I 'd didn't mean to…" She looked down at the belly and snorted, looking back to him.

"What, this? Hell, I cut myself worse shaving all the time!" she joked , trying to lift his spirits as much as she could. Ino saw a small smile form on his lips.

" You must have some really hairy-assed legs then! Remind me to get you a weedwacker for…next…Christmas…" he replied before his eyes rolled back in his head. His head fell back and hit the floor as his body seemed to totally collapse, his energy totally spent. Ino panicked.

"Hey!! Wake up, asshole! I still have to beat the crap out of you for that remark!" she yelled as she tried to focus her chakra into her hands to start healing him once more, only to discover that her reserves were down so low she couldn't do it. Grimacing, Ino knew she had to get him out of the house and to the hospital if she had any hope at all in saving him. Carefully getting to her feet, she picked him up under his arms and began to drag him from the room as carefully as she could, only to slip and fall several times in the pool of blood surrounding them. The fall managed to jar Naruto awake for the briefest of moments.

"It hurts…" he whispered softly as Ino dragged him slowly through his house toward the front door.

"I know, baby, I know," she replied, fearing that she had hurt him even worse when they had fallen in the room. "We'll get to Tsunade and get you fixed up a soon as possible!"

"No…my heart…it hurts…make it stop…please…" he begged before passing out once more. Tears began to flow down Ino's eyes as she did everything she could to save her friend.

"If I could, I would," she replied as she finally reached the front door and pulled him from his house and out into the front yard and to the street before finally collapsing, her strength spent. She fell backward and pulled Naruto into her lap, holding onto her friend for dear life. Looking around, she saw the street was deserted.

"SHIKAMARU!!" she yelled, hoping that her teammate hadn't gotten too far away. "SHIKAMARU!! ANBU!! NEJI!!! GOD DAMN IT!! SOMEBODY!!! PLEASE HELP!!!" Within moments, help arrived.

"Holy Shit! Ino, what happened?!" Shikamaru yelped as he saw the two of them covered head-to-toe in blood. Tears continued to flow as she looked her teammate square in the eye.

"Naruto tried to kill himself!" she cried as she continued to hold on to him tightly, fearing to let him go. "Why would he do that, Shika?!"

"Troublesome! I have no idea, Ino, but we need to get him to the hospital fast!" the Shadow Master replied as he bent down to take the unconscious blonde from Ino, only to be stopped when she refused to let him go. "Ino, you're going to have to let him go! We gotta get him to Tsunade as fast as we can!" Reluctantly, she released her hold on her friend's still body and allowed Shikamaru to pick him up in his arms as they all took off at top speed for the hospital.

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	5. Chapter 5

To lIve is so Much Harder......

A/N: I don't own Naruto, so don't sue me! I'm a poor man and it would just waste your time!

Chapter 5

"I don't believe it," Tsunade muttered as she and Shizune stormed down the main hallway of the hospital. They had just come from visiting Sakura and Sasuke both, who were not in the best of shape at the moment. The lovers were physically and emotionally exhausted from the events of the day, having to first explain everything to Team Asuma and then to the Hokage. "I just can't fucking believe it! God, I need a drink!"

"I just can't understand it," Shizune sighed as she walked next to her master, "How could they do that to Naruto? I mean, he did everything for the two of them! To betray him like that…"

"They were thinking with their fucking crotches and nothing else!" Tsunade growled, causing many doctors and nurses to cringe and seek cover. Tsunade growling was never a good sign. "They're ninjas, for God's sake! I would expect better of them, to use their heads and not be slave to their hormones like a bunch of stupid fucking teenagers!"

"They're only twenty-two or so, Lady Tsunade, they're still young, kids really." Tsunade turned bright red at that last remark and spun on her heel and confronted her apprentice.

"They gave up the right to be fucking kids the moment they accepted their Konoha headbands! They are ninja! Our lives are different from those of civilians, we don't have the right or the luxury of acting like everyone else does! My God, we are trained since an early age to kill, you can't get much more serious than that! I would expect all my ninja to act as such, not as some damn animals in rut!" the blonde barked before she turned back around and began to head back out the way they came. "Shizune, first thing tomorrow morning, I want all fitness reports and personnel files on Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Namikaze on my desk for immediate review. I KNEW we should have killed that bastard!"

"Yes, Lady Hokage…," Shizune began to reply when the front doors burst open, revealing a very agitated Ino Yamanaka, followed closely by Shikamaru, who was carrying a body in his arms.

"Somebody! Help us please!!" Ino screamed, looking like the victim of a movie slasher, covered in blood head-to-toe. Her eyes were wide in desperation as she scanned the assembled staff before they alighted on the Hokage. "Lady Tsunade!! Thank God!! He's hurt! He's hurt really bad!!"

"Who's hurt, Ino?" Tsunade asked as she instantly went into medic mode and strode over to the horrific looking blonde, trying to look her over for wounds, "What's going on?"

"Him," Shikamaru stepped forward with a familiar looking man in his arms, who was easily covered in as much if not more blood than Ino. Sadness covered the Shadow Master's face as he stood before his leader.

"No…," Tsunade whispered as her eyes widened in recognition. Her skin went pale as her heart sank. Lying before her was the closest thing she had to a son, "…Naruto? Oh god, baby, what happened to you?"

"SHIZUNE!! Get me a gurney and clear an operating room, NOW!!" Tsunade barked as she took the limp form of her child from Shikamaru's arms and spun around, placing him on the gurney, which had appeared from nowhere. "You two! Follow us and tell me what the hell happened!" Ino filled her in on what she had found and what Naruto was doing as they raced to the operating room, causing Tsunade's heart to break, thinking about Naruto hurting so much that he wanted to end it all. When they hit the doors of the operating theater, Ino and Shikamaru stopped and took seats in the waiting area as Shizune, Tsunade, and several of her most trusted assistants continued on and began the work of saving the Kyuubi container's life.

Several hours passed as Ino and Shikamaru carried on their vigil outside of the operating room. Every time the door would open for one reason or another, Ino's eyes would widen, hoping to see either Tsunade or Shizune coming out to update them. Unfortunately, this was never the case, as either a medic or a nurse would come rushing out and come right back as soon as possible with some sort of supplies in their hands. After waiting a total of four hours, Shikamaru looked over to teammate and grimaced.

"You know, Ino, you really don't have to wait here," he said gently as he stood from his seat and stretched his sore muscles. Naruto wasn't the lightest person in the world. "I can come and get you when I hear anything."

"It's…it's okay, Shika," the blonde replied as she continued to stare straight ahead, the memories of what she had seen kept playing before her eyes. She felt that stinging that she hated so much beginning to return to her eyes. Biting her lip, she turned toward her friend. "Why did he do it, Shika? I know that he felt betrayed, he had to have! But…to do that? Why was he trying to hurt us so much? Didn't he know he could have come to any of us? We're his friends, damn it!!" Tears broke free once more and left pale tracks in the dried blood that was on her face. Shikamaru sighed as he knelt down before her and took her hands in his own, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Ino, listen to me, okay? I don't know why Naruto did this, but I have a pretty good idea. It wasn't to hurt you or any of the rest of us, you know he would never purposely hurt his friends. It's just…" Shikamaru sighed once more before he continued on. "Look, you know how much he loves Sakura, right?" Ino nodded her head.

"Well imagine…damn," he muttered as he reached up and wiped away a tear that began to form in his eye, "Imagine how he felt when he found out what she had done, alright? Now, remember how happy Naruto was when he found out he was going to be a father?"

"Yeah, I remember! He couldn't keep his damn mouth shut for five minutes before he would start all over again about it," she snorted as a small smirk made it's way to her face. Shikamaru smiled back before becoming serious again.

"Yeah, Sakura and the baby were his whole world. He took her to all her doctor appointments, he waited on her hand and foot, he treated her like a princess. I know a hell of a lot of the women in this village were extremely jealous of Sakura over it." Ino nodded, glad that the blood was hiding her blush, she was easily one of them.

"Now," he continued, "how would you feel if all that was suddenly ripped from you in one fell swoop. Then add to that you lost them to your best friend. It was probably more than Naruto could handle, Ino. Even the strongest of people can break." Another tear broke free from Shikamaru's control as he placed himself in Naruto's position. The very thought of Temari leaving him for someone else was enough to make him want to put a kunai through his own chest. He really had to talk to her as soon as he could.

"I guess…I guess that I wouldn't want to live, either," she mumbled as she buried her face in her hands. She didn't want Shikamaru see her cry any more than he already had. "I just thought he was stronger than that."

"Like I said, everyone has a breaking point, even that knucklehead," Shikamaru replied as he took a closer look at her, "You know, you really should go get cleaned up."

"What? Why? I know I'm filthy, and it's kinda gross, but I don't care! I want to be here for Naruto!" she barked, flames once more jumping from her eyes and doing their best to incinerate her friend. Shikamaru's expression never changed as he continued to stare into her light blue eyes.

"It's not that, Ino," the Nara heir replied as his eyes shifted from her eyes to her stomach as he pointed to the jagged cut that marred her skin, "THAT. What the hell happened?"

"Huh? Oh, that," she said as she looked down and looked at the gash on her stomach, "That happened when I was trying to help Naruto."

"He didn't attack you, did he?" Shikamaru asked, blanching somewhat. The idea of one friend attacking another didn't set well with him whatsoever. Ino's eyes bugged out as she began to wave her hands in front of herself.

"No! That's not what happened!" she said quickly, trying to assuage Shikamaru's fears. "When he stabbed himself the last time, I pulled the kunai out and threw his arm over to the side. I…uh…was kinda leaning over him at the time and was a little too close to the blade. It cut me as it went by. It was just an accident!" Shikamaru sighed once more as he stood up and grabbed Ino's arm and drew her up as well.

"Shika! What the hell are you doing?" Ino barked as her teammate began to drag her down the hall until they came to the nurses station.

"I'm looking after my best friend," Shikamaru replied, causing Ino to blush once more as he turned to the closest nurse. "Excuse me, I need to see that Miss Yamanaka's wound is tended to, then I need to see if there is somewhere she can clean up and rest a bit." The nurse looked at the blood covered blonde and cocked her head to the side, puzzled.

"Uh, sure, we can heal her, but why doesn't she just go home afterward?" the nurse asked innocently, which turned out to be the wrong thing for her to say.

"Now just wait one minute here! If you think that I'm going to leave…" Ino spat before she felt Shikamaru's hand on her shoulder.

"I'm afraid leaving is not an option, ma'am. You see, a friend of ours is in surgery right now, and my troublesome friend here wants to be here for him when he gets out," Shikamaru sighed as he leaned against the desk top, really wanting nothing more than to take a nice long nap himself.

"Really, who's the friend?" the nurse asked sarcastically, not really wanting to know. She was hoping that they would just leave so she could get her paperwork finished and then leave for the night. Shikamaru frowned at her rather poor attitude, then grinned inwardly as he leaned forward and stared her straight in the eye.

"Lord Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, perhaps you've heard of him? You know, The Toad Sage and next in line to be Hokage? He was brought in several hours ago, if you wish to bother to look it up! Now, please get me a medic and find a place where Miss Yamanaka can rest and clean up!"

"Uh, y-yes sir," the young nurse replied as her eyes grew wide at the mere mention of the Kyuubi container. She quickly stood and bade them to follow her to there nearest examination room, where she quickly disappeared only to be replaced by a medic soon after. After healing her wound, the medic was kind enough to show Ino and Shikamaru to a separate room.

"You can take a shower back there," he motioned toward the back of the room before turning to the racks of bunk beds that lined the wall. "This is where many of us sleep when we need to take a nap during our shifts."

"You actually sleep while on duty?" Shikamaru asked, sounding somewhat perturbed at the idea. Ino snorted and crossed her arms, glaring at her friend.

"Like you're one to talk, Mr. Cloudwatcher" she quipped as Shikamaru shot her a glare before turning back to the medic.

"Sir, we tend to draw thirty-six and forty-eight hour shifts, we have to have some rest during that time. You wouldn't want an exhausted doctor working on you or someone you love, would you?" the medic replied, his eyebrow cocked. Shikamaru had the good sense to look embarrassed as he apologized. The medic smiled and waved it off as he left the two of them alone in the room.

"Now, march your butt in there and get cleaned up, Ino," Shikamaru ordered, causing Ino to frown and cross her arms under her breasts, glaring at him. He glared back as the two of them stood there for several seconds before Ino broke the stalemate.

"Yeah, whatever, Mr. Nara," she snorted as she began to walk toward the shower area before she stopped. "Uh, Shika?"

"What is it, Ino?" he asked, exasperated that she was stalling. Ino looked at him sheepishly, then looked back toward her feet.

"Uh, I don't have anything clean to wear, can you…?" Shikamaru rolled his eyes before he chuckled a bit.

"I'll have something waiting for you when you come out," he replied softly as he tried to shoo her toward the showers. Ino, however, bit her lip and looked back at him, looking lost and panicked at the same time.

"But…but you'll let me know when he comes out right? How can you do that if you're not here, huh? No, I think it's better if…if…," Tears began to slide down her cheeks again, breaking Shikamaru's heart. He crossed over to her quickly and took the sobbing blonde in his arms.

"Shh, Ino, it's going to be alright, okay? He'll pull through! We're talking about Naruto, you know? He's not going to let anything like this kill him, no matter how he feels! ," he said, trying his best to sooth his hurting friend. He rubbed her back until the tears and sobs slowed down, almost stopping completely. "You are most troublesome, Ino, you know that? Look, I promise I'll stay here and let you now when he gets out of surgery. I'll find something for you to wear, but for now you really need a shower and some rest."

"Oh…okay Shika," Ino responded as she wiped the tears from her eyes and stood back and seeing the caring in her best friend's eyes. "Thank you."

"You really care for him a lot, don't you?" Shikamaru asked, knowing the answer deep down. He hoped that she'd be able to help Naruto through all of this.

"I…uh…well…he's my friend, Shika. He saved my life, you know?" Shikamaru nodded in agreement, his eyes soft. "I…uh…I don't know right now…" With that, she reached into a nearby cabinet and pulled several towels and washcloths before retreating to the showers.

"Man, this is so screwed up," Shikamaru muttered as he left to find something for Ino to wear, shaking his head from side to side.

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Ino stepped into the shower and allowed the hot water to run over her near-flawless skin, the waves of heat working miracles as they washed over her body. She hadn't realized when she started how physically tense she had been. Her nerves were shot, that was a given, especially seeing how someone so close and dear to her had tried very hard to take his own life. But she never expected her body to react this way, despite the medical training that she had that told her otherwise. She just had no personal experience of it until now.

She sighed as she tried very hard to not think of the events of the past day. In the words of her teammate, it was troublesome. Very, very troublesome. Reaching for the soap and her washcloth, she began to scrub and scrub, ridding her body of the crimson curtain that had dried and covered her like a cloak of sin. Ino watched as the red sloughed off and mixed with the water and poured down the drain, wishing that her problems and troubles would follow. Alas, that was not to be.

"Naruto," she whispered as she ducked her head under the streaming water to cover her tears as they once more forced their way from her cornflower-blue eyes. Pouring a handful of thick shampoo in her hand, she began to wash her long platinum hair, trying so hard to wash out the blood and memories.

"_You know, Ino_" Naruto had said one time when she was feeling particularly down after that one horrible breakup that hurt her so badly, "_You really do have very beautiful hair! It's soft, it reminds me of a warm summer breeze_." Ino shuddered as she felt his fingers playing with her hair, tracing it down to the shorter-than-usual ends.

"_That makes no sense, idiot_," she had muttered darkly that day, despite the compliment. She thought he was trying to just make her feel better, she didn't think he really meant it. "_Hiro always said it was plain and boring. That's why I cut it_." Naruto growled at the mention of her former boyfriend, the one that had done so much damage to her.

"_What do you mean it makes no sense?" _Naruto asked her has he continued to stroke her hair. " _It's like when on a hot summer's day you would do anything for relief, and then at the hottest part of the day, a soft breeze would blow through and just barely touch your cheek. You would do anything for that touch again because it's the softest, most comfortable thing you have ever felt. You would wish it would come back and linger even longer, but it doesn't and it leaves you wanting for more. That's what I meant, Ino_." She remembered blushing as badly as Hinata used to do at his words, but all he did was smile. "_I always thought your hair looked so much prettier when it was longer, I'm surprised that you cut it for him_. _Seriously, the dude was a dick_!"

"_You better quit flirting with me or Sakura will slug you into next week_," Ino smirked as warm feelings began to break through the ice that had surrounded her heart since the breakup. Naruto chuckled then shook his head as he held out a hand to her.

"_Ain't flirting, it's the truth! Now come on, you need something to eat and so do I!_" he replied as he began to drag her toward his favorite ramen stand. Ino groaned.

"_Not ramen again! Come on! How can you eat that stuff all the time?" _she whined as she followed her friend and took a stool next to him.

"_What's wrong with ramen? It's either this or dango! Anything else and someone might think we were on a date or something," _Naruto retorted, causing his blonde friend to snort. A rare smile graced her lips as she realized just how much her friends cared for her.

Ino shook her head of the memories that refused to be silenced. That little encounter there was the reason she had began to grow her hair long once more. She continued to scrub her hair until she was sure all traces of blood had been rinsed away. The tears were another story, however, as the sight of him plunging a kunai into his belly danced before her eyes again and again. Breaking down with great sobs, Ino slammed her fist into the tile wall before her as she slowly slid to the floor, the hot water still raining down upon her crumpled form. Her cries of anguish echoed off the walls of the shower as she poured her anguish out to the world.

Ino wasn't sure how long she had lain there nude on the shower floor, but she knew one thing: she needed to get out before she passed out from fatigue. Slowly, painfully, she pulled herself up from the floor and turned off the water before reaching for her towels and wrapping them around herself. She stepped out and looked at herself in the foggy mirror, grimacing at what she saw.

"God, I look like crap," she moaned as she patted her hair as dry as best she could before running her fingers through her waist length locks, trying rather unsuccessfully to remove any tangles and knots that had occurred. Grunting in frustration, she quickly dried off the rest of the way and then noticed the set of scrubs that Shikamaru had scrounged for her sitting on the counter. "Well, it's better than nothing," she muttered as she pulled the clothing on and walked to the closest bunk and promptly passed out.

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Several hours passed after Shikamaru had sent Ino to get cleaned up and rest, but the lazy Shadow Master kept true to his word and sat outside the operating room, waiting news on his injured friend. He valiantly fought sleep, and had substituted his normal cigarettes with cup upon cup of hot, black coffee, working so hard to stay awake and alert. The awake part was easier than the alert, especially seeing how he had stayed up all night waiting for news. The sun was now rising slowly above the horizon, casting it's rays throughout the windows of the hospital. This did nothing whatsoever to help his mood.

"Damn troublesome blondes," he muttered sadly as he continued his vigil outside the operating room, his thoughts turning more and more to Naruto, and to his own rocky relationship with Temari. Shikamaru remembered how it was Naruto that finally kicked him in the ass and made him realize how he truly felt about the sand kunoichi. Hell, Naruto even offered to pay for their first date just so Shikamaru would take her somewhere nice. He promptly refused and thanked his friend for his generosity, then took Temari out to the fanciest restaurant in all of the Fire Country. It may have put one hell of a dent in his wallet, but it had been worth it.

"God, I never thanked him for that," he whispered as he felt his heart sink like a ton of lead. Now, he might never get the chance to do so. And to top it off, things with his girlfriend had taken a turn for the worse when he started spending more and more time with Kurenai and her child. Temari was not happy at all with that. He sighed. "And now I've fucked things up with Temari. I'm afraid I've let you down, bro."

"Well, it's never too late to make amends," a female voice said, causing Shikamaru's head to snap up. His eyes widened as he watched Shizune take a seat right across from him. He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had failed to notice the doors open, nor had he seen or noticed anyone leaving.

"Shizune! Where's Lady Tsunade? How's Naruto? Is he…" Shikamaru sputtered as he looked at the dark-haired medic across from him, bolting to his feet in an instant. Before Shizune could reply, the doors opened as several medics pushed a gurney before them. Lying on it, heavily wrapped in bandages, was a bewhiskered blonde who's skin looked as pale as death. He watched as they rushed him down the hall and around the corner in the blink of an eye. "Holy shit, what's wrong?"

"The Hokage went to find Ino to let her know what's going on. As for Naruto, well…" Shizune said sadly as Shikamaru felt his heart sink even further as the look on the medic's face promised anything but good news.

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Ino's sleep was far from restful, as she tossed and turned on the bunk. Her eyes moved rapidly back and forth behind her eyelids as moans escaped her lips. Her platinum blonde hair was tossed to-and-fro as she violently shook her head in her sleep.

"_Ino_," Naruto called out as he held his hand out for her, his wide foxy grin covering his face. Ino felt her heart leap when she saw that he had no wounds on him. She smiled brightly as she began to run toward him.

"_Naruto! You're okay_!" she chirped as she continued to run toward him, only to realize that she wasn't getting any closer to him. He continued to hold his hand out for her. She began to run even harder, but she felt as if her feet were caught in mud up to her ankles. The more she moved, the slower she went.

"_Ino, come take my hand, I'll help you_," he said, still holding his hand out for her. Unfortunately, her movements got slower and slower. She felt as if all her energy was being drained from her body. Looking back toward him, she saw the sadness in his eyes as his hand began to slowly fall back to his side. Ino couldn't stand to see such pain in his eyes, so she doubled her efforts to reach him.

"_Hang on, Naruto, I'm coming…Watch out!!" _she screamed as she watched Sasuke and Sakura waltz up behind Naruto, evil grins plastered on their faces and kunai in their hands. Naruto looked at Ino, a puzzled look on his face that quickly turned to a look a sheer pain as twin kunai burst out of his chest from behind, spilling his blood and sending a shower of crimson in the air. The warm, sticky liquid hit Ino in the face as she watched Naruto fall to the ground, as the perpetrators of the crime threw their weapons to the ground, turned arm-in-arm and lazily walked into the distance. The two looked lovingly into each other's eyes as the disappeared over the horizon.

"_Ino_," Naruto said softly as he reached out for her once more. Suddenly, Ino was free and she ran at full speed to his side, falling to her knees and pulling him into her lap.

"_Oh God! Hang on, Naruto! I'll help you_," she wailed as she tried to stop the bleeding, which was only getting worse. He looked into her eyes, hurt clearly present.

"_Ino, why didn't you save me_?" he whispered as his voice began to falter. Ino gasped at the accusation in his voice. Her heart sank as she saw the anger in his eyes begin to build.

"_What…what are you talking about, Naruto?_" she stammered as his face contorted in rage. He was giving off a huge amount of killer intent, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "_I…I tried, I couldn't get to you, I was stuck_!"

"_Liar_!" he seethed as the blood pouring from his wounds was now inches deep, covering the ground for miles around. "_I saved your fucking life, and this is how you repay me, you fucking tramp?!"_ Ino's eyes widened at how viscous and cruel her friend was acting toward her. Tears poured from her eyes and mixed with the ever deepening pool of life-water that now surrounded them.

"_No! Naruto, please! I tried! I really, really did! Please forgive me!_" she cried as she watched his hand break free of the crimson lake and shoot forward, grabbing her by her throat.

"_You want my forgiveness_?" Naruto mocked as he began to sink lower and lower into the lake of blood until only his head remained above the surface, glaring at her with hate filled eyes. "_Fine! Then join me in death, you worthless slut! Come and die with me!_"

"_NO! Please_!" Ino screamed as Naruto dragged her below the surface, the coppery fluid filling her nose and mouth. She struggled to break free, and managed to catch a quick breath of air before being pulled back down toward his manically grinning face.

"_Ino_," he called to her as he dragged her deeper and deeper, her lungs burning with the need to breath.

"_Naruto, no please_," she begged as she sank deeper and deeper.

"_Ino_," his voice said once more, but his lips never moved, for they were stilled in death. Ino's eyes grew wide and she began to panic. She struggled to break free, but his grip was like that of steel.

"_Naruto_," she sighed softly as the air escaped her lungs, bringing on the dark embrace of death. Her eyes rolled back into her head as her struggles ceased.

"Ino!"

"Naruto!!" the blonde kunoichi screamed as she bolted straight up in her bed, sweat pouring down her face and soaking her clothes. Her breathing was shallow and ragged as her eyes scanned the room in desperation, trying hard to fix her bearings as to where she was. She felt a hand shaking her shoulder.

"Ino, calm down!" Tsunade said as she tried to get the young woman's attention. It took a second or two, but finally, cornflower-blue eyes locked onto those of her leader, bringing the hysterical Yamanaka into full consciousness.

"Lady…Lady Tsunade?" Ino asked as she finally remembered where she was. Shaking her head for a second, Ino was able to focus properly. "How's Naruto?"

"Well, Ino, I'm not going to lie to you," Tsunade said sadly as she took Ino's hands into her own , feeling the trembling coming from the young lady before her, "I'm afraid he's…." Ino's jaw dropped as she broke down in heart wrenching sobs. The only thing Tsunade could do was to reach out and put her arms around her, doing what she could to help the sobbing girl in front of her.

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_**A/N**__: I know, I'm a rat bastard! I just had to make a cliffy! Heheheheheh! Wow, I can't believe how many reviews and hits this story has had so far and as quickly as it has. For that, I thank you dear folks from the bottom of my sadistic heart._

_I've had a few of you wonder about the Kyuubi having emotions. In this story, Naruto has been bonded with the Fox for over twenty years, and over that time Naruto has been absorbing more and more of the Fox chakra. This opened a two-way channel between the two. The Fox now experiences other emotions rather than just hate, and this is something he just isn't used to, yet._

_Before anyone asks, the reason Tsunade calls Naruto 'baby' is because she thinks of him as her son. It doesn't matter how old the child gets, they are still their parent's 'baby'. _

_For those of you that are reading my other stories, don't worry! I haven't abandoned them, I had a hard drive crash that wiped everything I had, including the next chapters of 'Father' and 'Music of the Night'. I am in the middle of rebuilding them and I hope to get them posted soon! Later folks!- Lord Talon _


	6. Chapter 6

To Live is So Much Harder….

_**A/N**__:__ I still don't own Naruto! Whaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!!_

Chapter 6

"A coma," Shikamaru sighed as he stood next to his best friend as the two of them over-looked the bed of their fallen comrade. Naruto looked so pathetic with I.V.'s running into his arms and various wires leading from his chest to a nearby machine. The slow, steady beeping reminding everyone in the room that the blonde Kyuubi container was alive, but just barely. "Is there any chance he'll wake up anytime soon? After all, he's had worse wounds, and his prisoner has always pulled him through."

"We're not sure when he's going to wake up, Shikamaru," Tsunade replied as she looked first at Naruto, then at his chart as she struggled to remain professional. "If he wakes up at all, that is. Something just isn't right here. You're right, normally the fox would heal him up and restore him to normal…"

"Well, as normal as Naruto can ever be," Shikamaru muttered before Ino slugged him in the arm, the tears still evident in her eyes. "Oww!"

"Shut up Shika and let Lady Tsunade speak!" the disheveled blonde barked as she glared at her friend. To his credit, he didn't get angry and just laid a hand on her shoulder, a caring look in his eye. Ino calmed visibly, but the tears were ever-present in her eyes.

"Anyway, normally, The Kyuubi would heal Naruto up pretty quickly, but that just isn't happening. The healing is there, but it is going at a much, much slower pace than normal. If he was anyone else, he'd be dead, plain and simple," Tsunade continued as she watched Ino collapse into the chair next to her fellow blonde's bed and lean up against it, resting her head next to Naruto's. Tsunade was worried about how badly Ino was taking Naruto's condition. "We've repaired the damage he…caused himself, but we're not sure how badly the blood loss affected his brain. We can't even tell if there was any brain damage yet."

"Is there anything we can do to help him?" Ino asked quietly, loss clearly resounding in her voice. Tsunade had to swallow past the lump in her throat before she could answer. It hurt her so bad to see Naruto laying there like that and knowing that there was nothing she could physically do.

"We're going to wait a few days to see if he'll wake up on his own, Ino. If not, then I'll have a mind-walker, probably your father, enter his mind to see if the problem is there." The Hokage drew in a ragged breath, "Until then, all we can do is be there for him. We can talk to him, let him know his friends are all here and looking out for him, missing him. You Yamanakas know better than anyone the working of the human mind, you know that talking to someone in…that state…can help bring them out."

"So you're telling us that there is nothing we can do," Shikamaru snarled as he reached into his pocket for his cigarettes before a glare from the Hokage stopped him in his tracks. He was about to say something else when a weak voice interrupted.

"No, we can be here for him, Shika. We can tell him how much he means to us. How much we miss him. How much we need him," Ino said sadly as she continued to lay her head next to Naruto's. Shikamaru's heart broke when he saw the condition of his two friends, helping to drain away most of his anger. His rage against Sakura and Sasuke, however, could not be quelled.

"Lady Tsunade, what are we going to do about those two assholes?" he seethed as he watched Tsunade's eyes harden. He heard her knuckles crack as she clenched her fists, and visibly paled as she stared right through him, right down to his soul.

"_We_ aren't going to do anything, Mr. Nara. _You_ are going to be here to help your friends. If there are any actions to be taken against those two…individuals…I shall be the one to take them! If there is anything that can _legally_ be done to them, then I shall be the one to take such actions. Do I make myself clear, Mr. Nara?" Her eyes blazed, but there seemed to be a hint of a smirk on her lips. The light went off in Shikamaru's head as he grinned most savagely.

"Crystal, Lady Hokage," he answered as he nodded his head, then turned and took a seat on the other side of Naruto's bed. If Ino had been in any condition to notice, she could have actually heard the gears turning in Shikamaru's mind as he sat there and supported his friends. Tsunade spun on her heel and marched out of the room and straight to her office. She had some matters to attend to.

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The next few days passed entirely too slowly for Naruto's friends. After two days of sitting by Naruto's side, Shikamaru finally had to force an exhausted Ino to go home and rest up. She refused, of course, until Shikamaru asked Neji and Lee to physically pick her up and drag her home. She finally relented when Hinata convinced her that Naruto wouldn't want her to suffer because of him. With great reluctance, Ino went back home, escorted by Neji and Lee. When she walked in and told her parents what had happened, she broke down yet again. After she had calmed down, her mother put her to bed while her father, Inochi, quickly left to see Tsunade.

Naruto's friends were greatly distressed at his condition, and when they learned what had occurred that drove him such actions, their reactions were mixed. Hinata had cried almost as much as Ino had, despite the fact that she no longer had a crush on the crazy blonde. She still held great admiration for Naruto, and used him as a beacon to light her way through the trials and tribulations of life. Her heart felt great sorrow for her friend and his condition, and swore that if "that pink-haired slut and her back-stabbing anal retentive bastard" came anywhere close to Naruto, she would "Gentle-Fist them where the sun doesn't shine!" Everyone was shocked at her use of words and how angry she was becoming. Nobody wanted to be those two any time in the near future.

The others mirrored her sentiments. Kiba wanted to slaughter them both and feed them to his Clan's dogs. Neji and Lee wanted to rip Sasuke's eyes from his head and feed them to Sakura before crushing them both and disposing of their bodies. Choji didn't say much, but he had lost his appetite and sat next to his friend, keeping vigil until Ino could come back. Shino was more than willing to feed the traitorous two to his beetles. Tenten broke down, which surprised everybody. Her reaction to the fact that Sasuke and Sakura had betrayed Naruto was as expected…violent in the extreme. All the guys cringed when she said she would start off by castrating Sasuke with a red hot kunai and shoving his balls down his throat, and by the time she was done most of them were actually feeling ill to their stomachs. They continued to get louder and more angry before Shikamaru stood and waved for them to be quiet.

"Listen, guys, as much as I'd like to go along with what you want to do, we legally can't without getting ourselves in a whole hell of a lot of trouble! Do you think that Naruto would want anything to happen to us?" Shikamaru argued as the crowd grew quiet, thinking of their injured friend. "Lady Tsunade said that she would take care of those two with every _legal_ means that she could. Now, there isn't anything thing that we can do _overtly_ to make those two pay, no matter how much I want to." Shikamaru saw a few eyebrows raise at his pronouncement. Inwardly, he grinned.

"Well, what can we do, Shikamaru?" Lee asked, his face looking most unyouthful. "Those two must pay for their crimes!"

"But Lee, what about the baby?" He's an innocent in all this mess! We can't go and punish him for the crimes of his parents!" Hinata argued as the tears continued to stream down her face. Neji walked over and put an arm around his cousin to comfort her.

"Hinata, no one here blames the child, and none of us would do anything to harm him. Right guys?" Neji asked, looking at everyone in the room. They all agreed.

"We can't deprive him of his parents either! Neji, you, I , and Naruto all know how that feels! We can't do that to him, no matter what we want to do!" the lavender-haired beauty sobbed, her word carrying great weight with the others.

"You know, Naruto would make a good father," Tenten piped up, causing all eyes to turn to her. "I'm sure that he wouldn't mind raising the baby, seeing how he thought it was his for so long." Some of the others began to think deeply on this.

"But how can we know that Naruto wouldn't turn on the child, seeing how it isn't his?" Shino asked from the corner where he had station himself. Earlier, he had sent some of his beetles to act as lookouts in the hallway before they began their discussions. The corner was the best place to concentrate on his sentries.

"Naruto would never do that!" Hinata barked, her eyes wide and glaring at the others. "He would love the child! He would never blame it for something that it had no control over! He knows what that is like!" The rest of ninja in the room looked sheepish and nodded in agreement. They all knew how Naruto had suffered because the Kyuubi had been sealed in him at birth. Naruto would never treat anyone like that.

"Guys! Guys! That discussion doesn't matter, we've gotten sidetracked! We can't do anything to seriously harm or kill those two! Tsunade has put her foot down on that!" Shikamaru called out, getting their attention once more. Everyone grumbled a bit and calmed back down.

"Then what can we do, Shikamaru?" Hinata asked, mirroring Lee's question from earlier. She let out a small "eep!" when she saw the vicious grin on his face.

"Us? Well, we can make their life a living hell!" he growled as he began to outline his plan. Their eyes all lit up as they began to marvel at the simplicity, the sheer brilliance, and the down-right underhandedness of his master plan. The meeting continued for a few hours more before Shino alerted them to someone heading for the room. They quickly broke up and departed, leaving Hinata and Choji behind to watch over their friend.

"Remember, folks, _Operation: Vengeance _starts first thing tomorrow," the Shadow Master whispered to the rest of his conspirators as they turned and parted ways outside the hospital. The sun was beginning to set as Shikamaru began his trip to a small cottage that held the keys to is heart.

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Temari was sitting on the sofa with her legs tucked under her as she read the trashy little romance novel she had purchased when she had gotten back from Suna. She was a tad miffed that Tsunade hadn't had any time to see her yet, seeing how Gaara had sent several key documents with her to discuss with the Hokage. Shizune had told her that Tsunade was indisposed for the next couple of days and that she would call Temari when she was free.

The Sand kunoichi snorted as she closed the book and threw it onto the coffee table and picked up her teacup and headed back to the kitchen for a fresh cup. She was restless, and if there was something that Temari hated to be was idle. She liked to stay on the move, unlike that lazy boyfriend of hers. She felt anger and sadness well up in her heart at the thought of Shikamaru. She had been in town for several days now and the Nara heir had yet to show up to greet her.

"Huh, probably screwing that red-eyed bitch," she muttered as she placed her hands on the counter and wrestled to control her feelings. Temari wasn't a girly-girl, one that would sob and cry at the slightest thing. No, she was a tough, hardnosed kunoichi from the Village Hidden in the Sand. She was the sister to the current Kazekage, and she had to be just as tough and strong as her little brother. What did it matter that the man she loved spent all his time with a Jounin that was old enough to be his mother…well, maybe older sister. She felt the hated stinging begin behind her eyes, and fought hard to remain calm and aloof. She almost succeeded, except for that one rebellious tear that forced it's way out.

"Stupid bastard, making me cry," she growled as she snatched some tissue from the counter and wiped her eyes before grabbing her tea and heading back to the living room of the little cottage she always stayed in whenever she came back to Konoha. She remembered grinning like a fool when Naruto waltzed into a meeting between Tsunade and Gaara and casually threw a set of keys to his good friend. Gaara was for his part looked rather confused until he told everyone to follow him out the door and right down the road, stopping before the quaint little cottage she was currently residing in.

"_Well, we can't have you staying in a hotel every time you show up," _the crazy blonde announced as he and his wife stood side-by-side in front of the cottage, _"So welcome to the official Suna Embassy to Konoha!"_ He and Sakura had huge grins on their faces while everyone else stood there bug-eyed, even Gaara.

"_Uh, that's great Naruto_," Gaara replied, still shocked at what his friend had just showed him. His voice sounded the same to most people, but all his friends and family could tell the emotion in his voice. "_But, where did it come from_?"

"_Well, from us, of course_!" Naruto giggled maniacally as he opened the door, ushering everyone inside. All jaws dropped as they took in the cozy beauty of the place.

_"From…you?" _Temari was flabbergasted. She knew her fellow blonde liked to take care of his friends, but this was ridiculous! She turned to stare at the couple before her. Both were still sporting shit-eating grins.

_"Well, yeah! Just consider it a congratulation present for making Kazekage!" _Naruto smirked, having a blast at seeing Temari and Gaara so stunned. Gaara tilted his head quizzically before speaking.

_"Naruto, I have been Kazekage for several years now," _Gaara replied, not harshly. He was still greatly confused. He watched Naruto's face fall into a greatly exaggerated pout.

_"I'm sorry I'm late, man! Just don't kill me with your horrible, horrible sand, oh great and powerful Kazekage! Please!" _he groveled as he fell to his knees before his friend. Gaara tried with all his might to keep from smiling, but his face finally cracked some when he saw the puppy-dog eyes his friend was giving him. What happened next was what caused Gaara to actually _laugh_.

"Naruto! Quit acting like a retard!" his wife scolded as she reached over and punched him in the head, knocking the poor Toad Sage over onto his side. He stood up and nursed to goose-egg that beginning to form on his head.

"_Oww! Sakura! Why did you hit me_?" he sobbed as great crocodile tears poured from his eyes. He cringed when his wife snarled at him. "_Help! Granny, help me! This is spousal abuse! I have witnesses!"_ He never saw the punch coming from Tsunade that sent him over the sofa.

"_How many times have I told you not to call me that! I'm not old, damn it!_" Tsunade seethed as she watched the young blonde sit up rather wobbly, looking around with a look of expectation on his face. "_What's wrong, brat_?"

"_Nothing, I'm just waiting for the lightning bolt_," he smirked before he saw stars once more. A third lumped formed on his head as Tsunade walked over him and joined the rest in a tour of the place. Hokage-2, Naruto-0.

Temari grinned when she remembered that day. Sakura had showed them the guestrooms, as well as the little rack they had provided for her fans, as well as a small alcove for Gaara's gourd and closet for Kankuro's puppets. Temari had finally gotten her to admit that the cottage was one that belonged to Namikaze clan, and seeing how Naruto was the official head of the clan, he decided to donate it to Gaara and Suna. It had taken them several weeks to get it looking good, and to their credit, The Namikazes had done a great job.

"I wonder if Sakura's had her baby yet?" she wondered as she curled back up on the sofa and turned on the television. She hadn't seen either Sakura or Naruto since she had come back, and now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen any of her friends at all. She made sure to get out everyday so that she wouldn't go stir-crazy, and normally when she would go on her walks, she would see at least one or two people she knew. This time, however, something was off. Konoha didn't feel right for some reason. It was…subdued. It didn't feel right at all.

Shaking her head clear such thoughts, she settled down and was becoming engrossed in a show about three emotionally challenged teenagers piloting blue, red, and purple robots when a knock at the door brought her back to the real world. Annoyed that someone would finally come to see her when she was beginning to settle down for the night, she leapt up and stormed over to the door and jerked it open. What she saw was the last thing she had ever expected.

"Uh, hi 'Mari," Shikamaru said hoarsely, his head bowed and his eyes refusing to rise up to meet hers. Temari felt the anger come back as she looked at her boyfriend, the one who had been neglecting her so much recently.

"Huh! Well, Mr. Nara, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Did you finally deem me worthy of your time? I mean, I can understand why you would think that something like visiting your girlfriend when she's back in town for the first time in weeks would be too troublesome and not worthy of your time! After all, there are other, more important …people…to…see…," Temari stopped her tirade as Shikamaru looked up her, his eyes finally locking onto hers. She gasped as she saw the pain, the sadness, the desolation, and the rest of the emotional turmoil that he had gone through for the past several days. "Shikamaru?"

" 'Mari, I…I'm…Oh God," he whispered as his chin began to quiver and the water began to spill from his eyes. He deflated as he sank to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist. "God 'Mari! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" he kept repeating as his tears soaked the front of her kimono, his great sobs wracking both his and her bodies as the pent up emotions he had been suppressing surged to the surface for none but her to see. She was the only one whom he could relax his control around and actually act like a normal person around. That was one thing that had drawn the two together, besides the fact that she was a knockout with awesome legs, to paraphrase said Shadow Master.

"Shika…Shikamaru?" she asked softly as his grip around her waist refused to budge. She looked down at the top of his head and placed her hand on him, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Please, 'Mari! I'm so sorry! Don't leave me! I love you so much! The thought of loosing you is driving me insane! It makes me what to rip my heart out! I never meant to hurt you, I swear! Please, please, please…" he continued as Temari's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open, drawing in a gasping breath. Slowly, she knelt down in front of him and reached out and cupped his face in her hands, looking deeply into his eyes.

"Shika…baby…tell me what's wrong," she said gently as the sight of the tears pouring from his eyes was breaking her heart. Sure, she had been upset with him spending so much time with Kurenai, but she had never seriously considered leaving him. She knew that it was just his insane loyalty to his dead sensei that had caused him to swear to look after her and their little girl.

"Temari, I love you so much! The thought of you not being in my life…God, It hurts! Hon, I want to be with you for the rest of my life! I swear, I'll retire as a Konoha shinobi and follow you to Suna if you want me to! Please don't leave me! I want to be your husband, will you marry me, Temari? I have a ring and everything, it's my grandmother's and it so pretty and I know it'll look great on you and…" Shikamaru kept babbling as he began reaching into the pockets of his Jounin vest, feeling around for the ring.

"_Now I know something's horribly wrong here_," she thought as she filed the marriage proposal into the back of her mind as she tried to calm her lover. "Shikamaru, I need to you slow down and tell me what is going on. Take deep breaths and try to relax." After a moment or two, the tears slowed and he began to gather his thoughts.

"Temari, some…recent events have caused me to… re-evaluate my life. Our lives, as ninja, and our lives as human beings. I began to realize how badly I've treated you, I swear I didn't mean to! It made me realize how short our lives can be, and how one horrible day can seriously fuck things up…" he said as he began to tell her of the situation between Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto, of Naruto's heartbreak at finding out his wife was unfaithful and her child wasn't his after all. Shikamaru told her about Naruto's suicide attempt, and how Ino found him dying, and how badly she was taking it. He relayed the reactions of their friends and how they all wanted to punish the two, but Tsunade had tied their hands, but they were going to take care of things in their own way. He explained to her how he realized just how much he really loved her and how he didn't want to spend another day alone, without her. By the time he was finished, the rough and tough kunoichi Temari of the Sand had just as many tears flowing down her eyes as her boyfriend did. Her heart broke for her friend, but almost immediately began to heal as she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her forehead to his, looking his straight in the eye.

"Yes, Shikamaru," she whispered as a small smile formed on both their faces, "I'll marry you."

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_**A/N**__: Sorry folks, but I just had to end this chapter on a semi-happy note. I thought it would be interesting to see Naruto's friend's reactions, as well as seeing Shikamaru finally breaking down and releasing his emotions to his girlfriend. That boy is seriously repressed! I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter! Later!- Lord Talon _


	7. Chapter 7

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

_Disclaimer: don't own it, probably never will!_

Chapter 7

"Hey, how are you doing?" Sasuke asked as he and Sakura were walking down the street towards her and Naruto's house. They left the baby in the hospital so that Shizune could check him out. He had cried so much his first few days that they were worried that something was wrong with him. Shizune promised that she would take good care of him and she would call them the moment that they learned anything.

"I'm…I'm okay," Sakura replied, just a bit winded. She still hadn't recovered completely from giving birth, and she and Sasuke were worried that they hadn't seen Naruto since the baby was born. They managed to convince Shizune that Sakura was ready to head back home, despite the medic's objections. As quickly as they could, they packed Sakura's stuff up in a scroll and took off for the Namikaze home.

"You sure?" he asked once more as he watched his pink-haired lover struggle down the road. Quickly making up his mind, he walked over and snatched her up from the ground, bridal style.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" the medic asked as she blushed. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she loved the feel of her lover's arms around her. A small smile graced her lips as she relaxed into his embrace.

"Giving you a ride. You don't mind too much, do you?" the Uchiha smirked as he saw the look on her face. It was the same look she had the first time he had confessed his love for her and had held her for the first time. Their eyes met and locked onto one another until a noise was heard behind them, breaking the spell.

"_Ahem_," Ayame cleared her throat as she spied the two totally engrossed with one another. She held her small son on her hip and did everything in her power to keep from ripping into them. "Lord Uchiha, why are you holding Lady Namikaze in such a _familiar_ manner?"

"Uh, I'm just helping Sakura back home after she had her baby. Her worthless husband seems to have disappeared, so I have to pick up the slack!" he forced a smile hoping that Iruka's wife would pick up on the playfulness him his voice. Her glare told him otherwise.

"Ayame, have you seen Naruto? It's been days since I saw him last, and I'm worried about him," Sakura pleaded as she watched the older girl's face set hard. Sakura could see the barely controlled rage just below the surface. "_Oh god, she knows_!"

"Lady Namikaze, I haven't seen Naruto…Lord Namikaze… around here since just before you had your baby," Ayame replied through clinched teeth as she turned on her heel and began to walk away. What she had told Sakura was the truth: She hadn't seen Naruto on the streets, but she had seen him laying in his hospital bed when she and Iruka had gone to visit earlier in the day. Iruka and Ayame held each other and poured their grief out as Tsunade informed them of his condition.

"Hey, Ayame! What's your problem?" Sasuke called out, clearly irritated at her attitude. Ayame turned back around, her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she snarled at the younger couple.

"My father always told me that if I can't say anything good to someone, then to not say anything at all. Thus, _Uchiha_, I have nothing to say to either of you!!" With that last remark and a rather rude gesture, Ayame stormed away, leaving behind a startled and confused couple.

"What the hell was that about? You don't think…?" Sasuke asked as he looked at the woman in his arms. Sakura nodded her head sadly.

"She knows," Sakura confirmed softly, bringing a scowl to her lover's face. A small growl escaped his throat as he began to carry Sakura to her home.

"What the hell did Naruto do? Run around town and tell everyone what happened?" the Snake Summoner asked as he began to look around, noticing that other people on the street were either turning away and ignoring them, or sending them withering glares. Sasuke felt a shiver run down his spine as he began to speed toward the Namikaze estate. Sakura looked around fearfully, the sight of all the hateful gazes making her want to run and hide.

"Is this how Naruto felt when he was growing up?" she mused as Sasuke began to wonder the same thing. It was bad when he first came home, but now it felt a hundred times worse, and he really couldn't understand why. After five minutes or so of roof-hopping, they finally arrived at the Namikaze estate. The sight that greeted them was shocking, to say the least.

"Hold," a dragon-masked ANBU ordered, holding out his hand as Sasuke landed before the front door of the large house. After setting Sakura down, he turned to confront the ANBU.

"What's going on, Neji?" Sakura asked as she followed her lover to the door, noticing a large seal had been placed on it. Glancing around, she noticed the same seals on all the windows as well. What she failed to notice was the dark red stains on the door, the front steps, and the sidewalk. "I need to get inside, clean up, and look for Naruto. If you'll excuse me…" The masked Hyuga refused to move.

"I'm sorry," Neji replied, though his tone clearly showed that he wasn't, "however, this home has been sealed upon orders from the Hokage. It shall remain so until it's rightful owner returns."

"WHAT?!" Sakura barked as she glared daggers at the ANBU, who refused to remove his mask despite the fact that they knew exactly who he was. Sasuke took a step forward and slapped Neji's hand out of the way, then suddenly backed up as Neji's wakizashi instantly appeared against Sasuke's throat.

"Are you attacking a fellow Leaf Shinobi while in the commission of his duties? You know the penalties for that, don't you, _Uchiha_?" Neji sneered as he activated his Byakugan the very instant Sasuke activated his Sharingan. Unfortunately for Sasuke, he was still at a disadvantage, seeing how a razor-sharp blade was poised to end his life. Sasuke finally realized the danger he was in and deactivated his blood limit.

"No," the Uchiha replied calmly, past the lump in his throat, "I'm merely trying to help the Lady Namikaze into her house. She is tired and wishes to speak to her husband." Sakura quickly nodded her head, agreeing with Sasuke. The Dragon turned his head toward her, his mask hiding the smirk on his face.

"Lord Namikaze is not in at the moment, thus the reason the house is sealed," Neji answered, delighting in the look of confusion on the other two's faces.

"Neji, this is my house, too," Sakura said as she made to move past the two men, only to receive a nasty shock from the seal. "What the hell!?"

"Like I said, the house has been sealed until Lord Namikaze returns," Neji smiled under his mask. Sakura was beginning to get really angry, which amused Neji even more.

"It's okay, Sakura, we'll merely go to the Hokage and get her to release the seal. You are the Lady of the House, after all," Sasuke replied, causing the ANBU to grin viciously under the mask. Reaching into his vest, Neji produced two scrolls and held them out toward Sakura.

"The Hokage thought you may wish to speak to her, so she supplied these to give to you as well as a message," Neji spoke formally to the pink-haired medic. Sakura's eye twitched somewhat at Neji's tone. "The Hokage stated, and I quote, 'Tell Uchiha and Haruno that I am busy and that I don't have time to put up with their petty little concerns. It is all explained in the scrolls.' Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a home to guard."

"_Haruno_?" Sakura thought as she broke the seal on the first scroll and read it, her skin turning deathly white as the words forced their way into her startled brain. "What?! You have got to be kidding, Neji! This can't be real, there are certain procedures that have to be followed, laws that have to be obeyed…."

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, worried about the condition of his lover. A stray tear slid down Sakura's cheek as she handed the scroll over to Sasuke, who promptly read it and dropped it to the ground. "Divorce? When? How? Why?" he sputtered, his eyes locking onto the Hyuga once more.

"Seriously? You two didn't see this one coming, after what you did to him?" Neji responded incredulously, shaking his head. "By the way, _Miss Haruno_, all laws and procedures were followed. The evidence was so overwhelming that the Hokage followed Lord Namikaze's wishes and expedited the proceedings. You are shinobi, after all, not civilians. The Hokage has final say over these matters, not civilian courts."

"What? Did Naruto go crying to the Hokage about how we wronged him? Did he beg her to throw Sakura and our baby out on the streets? I knew he was hurt, I just didn't think that jackass would…urk!" Sasuke raged until he felt Neji's sword pressed once more to his throat.

"Do not speak ill of Lord Namikaze in my presence ever again, traitor! I, and most people in Konoha, including _you two_, owe their lives to him! He has saved this village more times than most of us want to even think about! We owe him a little respect!" The Hyuga growled under his mask, letting off no small amount of killer intent.

"Neji, we're talking about Naruto here. You know, our knuckleheaded friend? The ramen-eating fool? My husband?" Sakura responded quietly, trying to calm the Hyuga. "I really need to talk to him! I gotta make him see reason, I have no place to live now! What are me and the baby going to do now?"

"He is no longer your husband, Haruno! You lost that right when you first spread you legs for the scumbag here!" Neji spat, his comments causing red to creep up Sasuke's neck. Despite his anger, there was nothing he could do with a razor-sharp sword pressed to his throat. "If you will open the other scroll, it may answer some of your questions."

"Okay," she responded quietly as her eyes flickered over to her lover. Breaking the seal, she read silently for several moments before tears began to openly flow. Sniffling and wiping her eyes, she turned back to Sasuke. "It's from Naruto. He…he says he's sorry for wasting my time over the past five years. He says he should have known that I could have never really loved someone like him, and that he should have never stood in our way! He says he divorced me as quickly as he could so that the three of us could be a family. It says he sent all my stuff over to your compound before he left. He hopes that we'll be happy to…together and that he hopes for the best! Oh god, after what we've just done to him, and he still worries about us? Sasuke…?" With that, she broke down as great sobs escaped her lips. Neji removed his sword, allowing the Uchiha to rush over and comfort his lady, wrapping his arms around her and supporting her the best he could.

"I…I've got nothing now! Nowhere to live! My husband has forced me out!" she bawled as Sasuke held her close and rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's alright, Sakura," Sasuke replied as he continued to consol her. "Naruto said he sent your stuff over to my place, you can stay there with me! It's not like we hadn't already planned on that anyway," he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows. Sakura had the good grace to blush at the look on his face. "We knew you would have to leave him eventually."

"Yeah, eventually, but not this soon! This has been my home for five years! I….I was hoping that we could have broken this to him slowly, not like what happened!" she sniffled, looking into Sasuke's black eyes.

"Come on, let's go home," he said as he picked her up once more and turned toward the ANBU, "This isn't over yet, Neji!" Sasuke carried his lover away from the Namikaze estate and began to roof-hop toward the other side of town. Neji watched them go, his eyes narrowed behind his mask.

"Oh, you have no idea, Uchiha! You have no idea!"

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Ino was once more sitting by Naruto's bedside, her head resting next to his as she whispered softly, hoping that he could hear everything she was saying. She talked about how things were going around town, how their friends had come to visit him, how much they all missed him, and especially about how Iruka and his family had come and visited earlier in the day. Naruto remained motionless the entire time, his mind still shut down, the only clue that he had lived through his attempt was the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"We all really miss you, silly," she sighed as she reached out and placed a hand on his chest, reassuring herself that he was indeed still alive. Naruto made no sign that showed he even knew that she was there. Ino laid her head back down and snuggled up next to his, getting as close to his ear as she could. "I really miss you. I need to hear your loud voice again. I need you to wake up and drag my ass down to the ramen stand and force another bowl of that stuff down my throat. I'll let you in on a secret: I really do like ramen, I just bitch about it to get a rise out of you," she giggled softly before her face became serious again.

"You'll never guess what happen! Shikamaru finally got off his lazy ass and asked Temari to marry him, and she 'yes'! I guess seeing everything that happened to you really opened his eyes, he even volunteered to resign from Konoha and move to Suna for her. She told him that wasn't necessary, so she sent a message to Gaara to let him know what was going on. He should be here in a day or so to work out the details, and to see you, of course. Shika thought about it later, and realized that this could be a good thing for Konoha. A political marriage will strengthen the treaty between our two villages, even if the marriage didn't start out as one. Believe it or not, but Temari thought that was a great idea! Man, those two are so romantic, I just can't stand it!" she smirked, her last statement laced with copious amounts of sarcasm. She half-expected to him laugh out loud and agree with her, but the only answer she got was the steady beeping of his monitors. She sighed again as the great chasm of despair began to open wide for her once more. Tears began to form in her eyes, but before they could fall, a muffled sound came from behind the door to his room. Ino raised her head as she watched Shizune walk in with a loud, squirming bundle in her arms, a look of desperation on her face.

"Shizune, is that…?" Ino asked as the medic quickly crossed the room and stood next to Naruto's bed. Ino noticed that the sounds got quieter the closer Shizune was to the stricken blonde on the bed.

"Yeah, it's Sakura's baby," Shizune replied as she bent down and placed the small, thrashing baby next to Naruto in the bed. Much to her relief, he quickly got quiet and still as he snuggled up to the Toad Sage. Ino and Shizune both sighed as they watched the two on the bed, baby and wanna-be father both. "That's the quietest he's been since he was born! I was getting really worried there about his health, but he seems to relax when he's near Naruto. I wonder why?"

"He would have made such a good daddy," Ino replied sadly as her imagination began to runaway with her, thoughts of Naruto and lots of children outside, romping around and playing with each other. She watched Naruto smile as all the kids dog-piled him before a call from the front door of his house drew his attention to….

"Ino? Are you okay?" Shizune asked as she watched the young blonde woman space out before her. Ino quickly shook her head and looked at the concerned medic.

"Yeah, just tired and stressed out, that's all," the mind-walker responded as she reached out and stroked the baby's face, then Naruto's. If she didn't know any better, she could have sworn she had seen a small smile try to force it's way onto Naruto's face. "How long are you going to leave the baby here? Sakura's gonna be pissed when she comes in and finds them like this."

"Don't worry about that, she and Sasuke left the hospital for a while to head back to the estate. Knowing those two, it'll be a while before they return. I'll leave the baby here until they get back because he really needs some rest. The staff will tell me when they get back." Shizune gave Ino a wink as she handed the young blonde a bottle. "If he wakes up before I get back, he's going to be hungry. Do you think that you can…?"

"Sure," Ino smiled as she took the bottle and set in next to her on the table. Shizune smiled at her as she walked back out the door, leaving the three alone in the room. "You will make a great daddy one day, Naruto! You'll just need to find the right woman," Ino said as she stroked the whisker marks on his cheeks, tears sliding down her face.

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Sasuke was livid. It was bad enough that he and Sakura had discovered the words 'bastard' and 'traitor' painted on the outside walls of the Uchiha compound in big, red letters, but it was what he found inside that had really pissed him off.

"What exactly do you mean, 'reparations'," the Uchiha seethed as he stood at attention before the Hokage. Tsunade narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward and rested her chin on her knuckles, her gaze withering. "And what does that have to do with what I found at my home?!"

"Simple, Uchiha," Tsunade said with a predatory smile that would make a shark piss itself in fear, "As you may remember, imprisonment wasn't the only part of your punishment for betraying the village…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know! I was also locked into the rank of Genin until such time as I proved my loyalty to Konoha. But what does that have to do with strangers moving into the Uchiha compound?!" he bellowed, only to have Tsunade stand up from behind her desk in the blink of an eye and backhand him, causing him to stumble. Blood poured from his split lip.

"Watch how you speak to me, Jounin! I am still Hokage of this village and you _will_ speak to me with respect! Understand me?" she snarled, causing Sasuke to nod his understanding. He was very thankful that she hadn't used her famous chakra-infused punch.

"Good," she replied as she took her seat once more. "Now, it was stated in your sentencing that any additional punishments can be added as warranted by the Hokage. After reviewing your case, and the expenses incurred in your retrieval over the years, it has been determined that a financial award to the village was appropriate."

"But….but that's my home! It's the Uchiha ancestral grounds! You….you just can't take most of it away from me and my clan just to punish me!" Sasuke pleaded with the Hokage, but to no avail.

"Your clan? Right now, Uchiha, your clan consists of yourself and your illegitimate child! That hardly warrants the amount of land the Uchiha compound takes in the village! Do you realize that your clan compound comprises approximately one-fifth the total area of the village? That's an awful lot of land for just two people," Tsunade smirked as she saw the desperation in the Uchiha's eyes.

"I need room for my clan to grow, Lady Hokage! I will rebuild my clan, and we'll need space to live," Sasuke growled, coming dangerously close to another slap.

"Understood. At that time, you can buy back some of the land from the village," Tsunade replied as she set several sheets of paper before the angry Jounin. "As you can see, you still have more than enough land in which to raise a family. We didn't take your house, nor any of the immediate area. We didn't take any of your personal or family fortune, though we were well within our rights to do so. You do have a child to raise, and I am not so cruel as force a child into poverty."

"No, but you will force him to grow up in cramped conditions," he shot back, earning a death glare from Tsunade.

"Cramped conditions?! You have a huge house and over one hundred acres to raise your children on! What do you know of cramped conditions? You weren't forced to live in a small, two room apartment from the age of four and beyond! No real place to call your own, no family to support you, no one really giving a rat's ass whether you lived or died!!" Tsunade yelled, causing the young man before her to cringe, waiting for the promised slap. Suddenly, understanding lit up his world.

"This is about Naruto, isn't it? What did he do, beg you to punish me when he got you to expedite his divorce from Sakura? Did he demand that you take everything from me like he thinks I've done to him? Like he's done to Sakura? Do you know he threw her out on the street without a penny to her name? God, I never thought he would be that petty!" Sasuke saw a brief flicker of grief flash across her eyes before her face became a stone-cold mask once again.

"First off, I haven't spoken to Lord Namikaze since before he had a clone bring me the divorce petition. Second, he may have taken sole custody of the Namikaze estate, but he has left Sakura far from penniless. He signed over an eighth of his family fortune to his ex-wife, which is approximately what your _entire_ family fortune is worth. He also signed over a nice sized house to her, which happens to be close to your own home. Had you read the divorce decree, you may have noticed that. Third, Lord Namikaze has absolutely no knowledge of what punishments have been levied upon you. He specifically asked me not to punish you for your transgressions, but as Hokage, I have a village to look out for. The land and buildings confiscated from you are being assigned, rent free, to the refugees we have taken in from other villages. Also, several of the buildings are being converted into orphanages for those children who have lost their parents. The old orphanage was a disgrace and entirely overfilled. You wouldn't want to allow those children to suffer, would you, seeing how you're a…_father_…now yourself?" Tsunade asked in her sweetest voice.

"Uh…no ma'am," he replied, deflated and defeated. This had truly had been one hell of a day.

"Good! Now, take the weekend off, then report to me first thing Monday morning. Until such time as I deem you and your judgment sound, you are restricted to D-rank missions. You will meet your new Genin team here at 8 AM sharp, do you understand?" The Snake Summoner bristled at the thought of having to perform such low rank missions, but he realized that Tsunade was being extremely lenient with him. Things could have gone much worse. He merely nodded his understanding. "Excellent, you're dismissed."

"Um, Lady Hokage?" he asked as he began to step out of her office. Tsunade glanced up from her paperwork, looking annoyed. "If you see Naruto, could you tell him that we're worried about him? We haven't seen him since the baby was born, and we all really need to sit down and talk about what happened." Tsunade's eyes widened in shock.

"_Oh god, they don't know_!" she screamed in her mind. Her child was laying in a hospital bed, dead to the world, and the two that helped cause it knew noting about it. "If get a chance to tell him, Mr. Uchiha, I'll let him know……"

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_**A/N**: Writing these short chapters is driving me nuts! I can only get some much in, but I want to add so much more! Anyone that has read any of my other stories can attest to the length of their chapters. These just seem like drops in the bucket!_

_I hope everyone likes how I've started off the punishments for Sasuke and Sakura. Trust me, we are far from finished. Heh! Later!-Lord Talon_


	8. Chapter 8

-1To Live is So Much Harder….

Chapter 8

_**A/N**: I don't own Naruto, just my own twisted imagination! Heh!_

"My brother," whispered Gaara as the redheaded Kazekage laid his hand upon Naruto's head. His sister stood by his side, as did her fiancé as all three gazed sadly upon the countenance of the stricken Toad Sage. "What have they done to you?"

Ino couldn't help but to stare, after all, it wasn't every day that you saw two Kages standing in the same room with each other, let alone to visit one lone shinobi. Naruto, however, was no mere shinobi, he was precious to Gaara and Tsunade both. He had single-handedly opened and healed both of their hearts, the same hearts which now hurt beyond belief.

"How…how long has he been like this?" Gaara asked, swallowing past the unfamiliar lump in his throat. This was the first time in a very, very long time that he had felt true sorrow, and it was a feeling that he hated.

"It's been ten days," Tsunade replied as she began to study his chart once more. Gaara's head snapped around as he began to stare at the blonde Kage.

"What?! That…that cannot be correct! The Kyuubi should have completely healed him by this time," Gaara responded as sand began to leak from the gourd on his back. Temari and Shikamaru both took a step back, wide-eyed. "Why was I not informed sooner?"

"I sent a message to you as soon as I found out, Gaara," his sister answered, taking hold of her brother's trembling hand, calming him slightly.

"I should have taken him to Suna," Gaara seethed, his eyes widening in anger, "I should have never left him in this ungrateful village! Look what they have done to him!!"

"It wasn't the village, Lord Kazekage," Ino spoke as she sat up next to the bed. She paled as Gaara's eyes locked onto her, his sand swirling menacingly behind him. "He…he did this to himself, but he was driven to it."

"By whom?" the icy question came as the Kazekage crossed his arms. Ino visibly gulped before she answered.

"By his wife…and Sasuke."

"Then they are dead," commanded Gaara as he spun on his heal to go track down the guilty couple. However, before he could take even one step, the platinum blonde kunoichi called back out to him.

"You can't!" Ino yelled and then cringed when Gaara turned back to her, killer intent filling the small room. "Naruto wouldn't want that! He wanted them to be happy, that's why he divorced Sakura, so she and Sasuke could be together! They have a baby for God's sakes! Naruto wouldn't want it to become an orphan because of him!" Gaara's eyes softened as he deflated, collapsing back into a chair of sand that had formed behind him. His eyes glanced back over to his comatose friend.

"Your heart really is too big sometimes, brother," Gaara said before turning toward Tsunade. "So, the baby isn't his?" Tsunade shook her head sadly.

"I'm afraid not," she replied as she set Naruto's chart back down. "I think that in itself is the main reason he…did what he did. As for the Kyuubi, we can sense it's chakra coming from the knucklehead, but he still is healing a lot slower than he normally would. He's still healing faster than…normal …people, but much too slowly for himself."

"Has anyone tried to go…inside?" Gaara asked, pointing to his head. His mind was desperately searching for an answer to his friend's dilemma.

"Yes, we sent Miss Yamanaka's father inside a few days after it happened, but he met too much resistance and chaos. We're going to have him try again tomorrow, to see if he can finally get through," Tsunade answered as she watched her two fellow blondes. Ino's reaction still worried her. Gaara noticed this.

"Temari, Shikamaru, come! We have much to discuss. Lady Tsunade, would you join us, please?" Gaara asked as he cast his eyes meaningfully toward the blonde couple. Tsunade nodded her head slightly as she followed them out the door.

"What did you wish to discuss, Lord Kazekage?" Tsunade asked as the four walked toward the hospital exit. Gaara groaned as he shook his head.

"Just 'Gaara', please. We have known each other for a number of years now, Lady Hokage, and we both care about the same idiot. I think you can call me by my name." Tsunade softly smiled and then chuckled a bit.

"Understood," she replied as they stopped before the doors that led out to the greater world beyond. Tsunade turned and looked the young Kazekage squarely in the eye.

"She truly cares for him, does she not?" Gaara asked quietly. His question stopped her short.

"I believe so. Ino is the one who searched for him and discovered him at his house, covered in his own blood. She refused to leave his side when he came out of surgery, only doing so when her friends forced her to do so. She's gotten very little sleep and talks to him constantly, doing everything she can to bring him out of his coma." Gaara frowned.

"I am worried," he stated plainly, his eyes clouded.

"About what?" Temari asked carefully as she watched Tsunade slowly nod her head. The Sand kunoichi wasn't entirely sure where this was going.

"I do not wish for him to be hurt again, sister," the young redhead replied, his thoughts jumbled. "I wish to bring him to Suna! Perhaps a political marriage to you would be the best solution!" Temari and Shikamaru both went pale as they grasped each other's hands. Turning back to Tsunade, he continued his rant. "She is strong, loyal and caring. Temari would never allow him to be harmed in any way ever again!"

"No, Naruto would never go for that," Tsunade answered, her eyes spying the panicking young couple behind him. "First off, Naruto would never marry for anything other than love, and second, he would never force anyone into a marriage they didn't want."

"Yes, I guess you are correct," Gaara agreed sadly, causing his sister and her fiancé to sigh in relief. "Besides, it seems that my sister has fallen hard for the lazy Nara behind me. We still have much to talk about when we get back to the Embassy. Don't we, Nara?" Gaara grinned when he said that last part, know full well that Shikamaru was about to crap his pants. Tsunade smiled as she watched the three youngsters walk down the road before she turned to trudge back to her office.

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The next day, Ino Yamanaka stood behind the counter of her parent's flower shop, sighing heavily as she stared out the front window to the world bustling out beyond. Today was the day that her father was going to try to dive into Naruto's mind again, so she agreed to watch the shop for him until he returned, hopefully with good news.

"Ino, dear, are you alright?" her mother asked as she came up behind her daughter and gave her a hug. Ino sighed as she turned in her mother's arms and hugged her back.

"Yeah, Mom, I guess," she replied as she broke the embrace and sat down on the stool she kept behind the counter. Her mother was worried about her, but what mother doesn't worry about her child? Ino had dark circles around her eyes, her skin was pale, her hair hung limp, and she was dressed in an old sweat-suit that sported a picture of a laughing chibi fox on the front of the shirt. Naruto had given the outfit to her when he and Sakura started taking care of her when her boyfriend had broken up with her. Ino remembered Naruto laughing his ass off at the look on her face when she first saw the clothes. The suit was mostly purple, and she could handle the little fox, but the orange tiger-stripes on the pants legs were too much.

"_Come on, Tigger, we gotta go!_" the Toad Sage laughed as he dragged the protesting girl out the door and to his favorite training field, his wife behind Ino, pushing her along. She felt so sad that she had never thanked him for his kindness. Naruto was the strangest motivator she had ever met. That first day, during their warm-up run, she had griped rather loudly about how she didn't think they were going to run, so she had neglected to put on a bra. Ino should have known something was up when she saw the smirk appear on his face. Sakura wisely took that moment to stop and hide in a tree.

"_Hey, what's wrong? I thought Tiggers liked to bounce_!" he called out and laughed like a maniac when he saw her eyes widen and her face grow red. To this day, the people of Konoha still talk of the Laughing Orange Streak and the Growling Purple Blur that had appeared on the streets that day. When Naruto finally stopped, Ino took her frustrations out on him, but he just giggled and said it was worth it.

"You're really worried about him, aren't you?" her mother asked as she patted her daughter's hand. Ino sighed as she looked back out the shop window. "He'll pull through, you know? He's had worse injuries than this!"

"Yeah," Ino muttered, wondering when her father would come back with some news. She was itching to get back the hospital to check up on her friend, and to fill him in on the latest gossip she had caught up on. Ino had taken Tsunade's words about talking to folks in comas to heart. Ino's mother began to rub her daughter's back when the front door opened, revealing Inochi Yamanaka. The elder blonde stood there, his eyes wide and his skin pale, as he began to scan the shop.

"Honey, what's wrong?" his wife called out, drawing his attention to the two women in his life. In the blink of an eye, he vaulted over the counter and wrapped them both up in huge hug.

"Ino, Ino, Ino, Ino, Ino…" he whispered as he sprinkled light kisses over the top of her head. "Oh God, my little princess!"

"Daddy?! What's wrong?! Did something happen to Naruto?! You…you're beginning to scare me!" Ino begged as she felt her father violently shaking. Her heart dropped, fearing for her friend.

"Come, let's go to the kitchen and get some tea," Mrs. Yamanaka replied as she began to drag the other two out of the shop. "After you calm down, you can tell us what happened……."

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"Hey, sensei! Just what the hell are we doing here?" asked a dark-haired Genin, a look of annoyance set on his young face. Sasuke shook his head as he rubbed lotion on the insect bites that covered both of his arms. He scowled at the little loud-mouth that had been the bane of his existence since 8 A.M. Monday morning.

"Shut your mouth, you idiot! You can't talk to the Great Sasuke Uchiha that way!" a little red-haired kunoichi spat as she turned and stared at their sensei with stars in her eyes. "Isn't that right, Mana?"

"Hn," replied the other kunoichi of the team, a pale girl with pink eyes and light blue hair. She turned to the dark-haired boy with detachment in her eyes and her voice. "Must you be so loud, Akira? You know how annoying Mariko is when she is scolding you."

"WHAT?!" Mariko screamed as Akira snickered in the background. The little redhead stormed over to Mana and got into her face, standing nose-to-nose with the pale girl. "I'll have you know, you blue-haired freak, that I'm not ANNOYING!!!"

"Yes, you are, Mariko," replied Mana quietly, never giving her fellow kunoichi her full attention. This caused Mariko to become even more angry.

"Why, you little bitch! I'm gonna knock you into next…WHOOP!" Mariko yelped as Sasuke grabbed her by the back of her collar and lifted her up and away from her teammate. She turned to glare at whomever had the nerve to prevent her from dealing out such richly deserved punishment, only to see Sasuke standing there. Hearts shot out of her eyes.

"Alright team, CALM DOWN! We still have a mission to perform," the Uchiha announced before trying to stifle a yawn. As he looked over his Genin team, Sasuke began to experience a rather disturbing sense of déjà vu. _"Aw crap! It's Team 7 all over again!"_ he thought.

"Yes, sensei!" all three chirped at once before they fell into a line before him. Sasuke just rolled his eyes and wondered if he'd get into trouble for using his Mangekyo Sharingan on them.

"Okay, here's the mission: Farmer Kubo has hired us to rid his herb garden of gophers and moles. He grows very rare and very expensive medicinal herbs that the Hokage and the other medics in the hospital use to create life-saving medicines. Your job is to get rid of all the pests while doing as little damage as possible to the crop. You three think you can handle that?"

"Yes, sensei!" they barked as one before taking to the field. Sasuke sighed as he walked over to a nearby tree and sat down, closing his eyes. He yawned and stretched as he found a comfortable spot to settle, sleep slowly beginning to creep up on him. He cracked his eyes open for a moment and watched as members of his team began to argue as to the best method of achieving their mission, which soon ended up in a brawl between Akira and Mariko. Mana walked away from the tangle of limbs and began to scan the ground for the offending rodents. Sasuke rubbed the bags under his eyes as his mind drifted off to the events of the previous night…

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Shizune had finally cleared he and Sakura's baby to be taken home, seeing how he was beginning to calm down a little and put on a little bit of weight. He was still fussy, but they finally managed to get him to sleep so they could have a little bit of alone time. That is, until the party out in the compound started.

Sakura was crying and holding her baby as Sasuke stormed out of the house to find out what was going on. As he stepped onto his front porch, he placed his foot into a huge pile of dog crap that had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere. Cursing, Sasuke hopped around on one foot until he slipped off the porch and fell right into a huge fire ant mound that had sprung up there recently. Despite the fact he was an elite Jounin, fire ant bites hurt like hell, causing him to jump up and run across the yard, screaming like a madman.

Once Sasuke had finally succeeded in brushing off all the little offending insects, he rushed out of the gates that led from his private property, only to run smack-dab into an official block party, hosted by none other than the Hokage herself. Tsunade had organized it so the refugees could get out and meet their new neighbors. Several people came out and shook Sasuke's hand, thanking him for his generous donation of so much of his family lands to the village. He looked up and saw the Hokage smirking slightly and shooting him a hard glare. Sasuke gulped and told everyone that they were most welcome. After he left, many people began to wonder why Lord Uchiha smelled like dog poop.

Grumbling under his breath about loud neighbors and scheming Hokages, Sasuke stormed up his sidewalk and reminded himself to avoid the doggie landmine on his porch. Just as he was getting close, he felt two sharp stings behind his knees, causing him to lose control of both his lower legs and his balance.

SPLAT!! Sasuke fell face-first right into a second pile of warm dog crap that had been left on his sidewalk. He raised himself to his knees, the smell of fresh excrement filling his nose and mouth as the tried to get his legs back underneath him. When that failed, he did the only thing he could.

"_SAKURA!!!!" _he yelled at the top of his lungs, causing his pink-haired lover to come barreling out of the front door, herself stepping into the first pile of doggie donuts as she rocketed to Sasuke's side.

"_Ewww_," she said as she saw what was covering his face. Sasuke scowled as he told her what had happened and that he couldn't walk. He felt totally humiliated as Sakura charged up her monstrous strength and picked him up bridal style and began to carry him back toward the house. She stepped in the dog poop again as she carried him inside, tracking it all through the house. They were so lost in their own misery that they missed seeing four shadows leap over the wall and back toward the party.

Things didn't get much better after they were back in their room. Sakura had gotten the baby asleep again as Sasuke washed the offensive mess off of his face and feet. After that, she treated the bug bites on his arms and chest as he tried to get his legs working again. Sakura discovered that the chakra points in his knees had been closed somehow, which puzzled them both, for they never detected any chakra signature close enough by to shut them down. Deciding that the best way to open them was to force even more chakra into his legs, Sasuke closed his eyes and concentrated. Hard.

What happened next was the stuff of legends. As Sasuke sat on the edge of his bed, forcing chakra into his legs, the points on his knees suddenly opened. This allowed ALL the chakra to pass directly to his feet. The Great Sasuke Uchiha suddenly became the Great Sasuke Pinball as, with a startled yelp of surprise, he rocketed off his bed, bounced off his ceiling, onto the bed again, then off the wall behind his headboard, flew sideways into the dresser, and finally bounced into his lover. Both Sasuke and Sakura crashed to the ground in a great tangle of limbs, promptly waking the baby up again. The two lovers held onto each other and cried, knowing that their night was ruined….

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"Sensei! Hey, sensei!" Akira yelled as he kicked Sasuke's feet, forcing the Snake Summoner back to the waking world. Once he stretched, he glared at his student, his eyes red as the three tomoes spun in each eye.

"What?! Why are you standing here, I thought you had a mission to accomplish!" Sasuke snarled, upset that his much needed nap had been disturbed. Shocked, the young boy took a few steps back before answering.

"But…we're done!" the young shinobi answered as he pointed to a large pile at the edge of the clearing. His eyes raised in disbelief, Sasuke walked toward the garden, thoroughly impressed with his Genin. Until he reached the pile, that is. There before him was a large mound, consisting of dead gophers, moles, rats, several snakes, a handful of cats, two dogs and a sheep. The various animals all showed signs of meeting their end in several violent ways.

"Uh, I see the gophers and moles," Sasuke began as he picked up several of the corpses, all of which showed signs of either blade wounds, burns, or were soaked, "but what about the rats?"

"Oh, well, they were destroying the herbs too, so we got them too!" Akira announced proudly. "The snakes kinda got in the way, but who likes snakes anyway?" Sasuke's eyebrows twitched, obviously the little snot didn't know he was a snake summoner.

"And the cats?" the Jounin asked, holding a smoldering cat up by it's tail. The other cats all showed signs of death by immolation.

"Uh, they were chasing the rats," Akira answered as he scratched the back of his head, "they, uh, kinda got in the way, too." Sasuke could feel a massive headache beginning to build, especially when he noticed that one of the bodies had on a very expensive collar with a name tag that look familiar.

"Why are there two dogs here? I'm pretty sure they weren't on the pest list," Sasuke growled. Akira grinned nervously as he fidgeted before his sensei.

"Well, you see, you know how Mana's kinda quiet and stuff? Well, she kinda hates dogs, they scare her pretty bad. When Mariko used a Katon jutsu to kill the rats and…uh, the cats…it kinda scared a couple of the dogs that hang around here…"

"Farmer Kubo's dogs, perhaps?" Sasuke muttered. Yep, definitely a headache was coming on.

"I guess so, well anyway, Mana kinda freaked out when they came out of the bushes, so she threw some kunai at them," the dark-haired Genin continued. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Right between the eyes," he sighed as Akira nodded his head furiously.

"Yep! Good shot, huh?" Sasuke just shook his head at the young boy's assessment of his teammate's skills.

"I guess so," the Uchiha added as he glared at the animal on the top of the pile. "What about the sheep?" The poor animal was soaked as well as half-cooked.

"One of Mariko's fireballs skipped off a rock and flew into the next field, so I used a Suiton jutsu to put it out. It…kinda didn't make it," Akira added glumly.

"Really? You think?" Sasuke rebuked rather sarcastically as Akira withered under his glare. "Just why the hell are most of these animals soaked, and just where the hell are your teammates?" Akira cringed as his sensei yelled at him.

"They…they sent me to get you! They said something about 'being out of the line of fire', whatever that means," Akira stammered. Sasuke looked confused for a second before his eyes widened and he turned pale.

"Oh, hell no!" he barked as he grabbed Akira by the back of his collar and began to drag the young Genin back toward the field. The sight before the Uchiha made is stomach sick.

The herbal field was a complete wreck. The hedge that circled the garden had gaping holes in it, with either blacked branches or mud puddles showing what had happened. The field itself looked even worse. No plant survived, they were all either trampled, burned, or washed out. There wasn't a single bit of dry dirt anywhere as the huge geyser that shot out of the middle of the field continued to do it's work of turning it into a swamp.

"Shit!" Sasuke yelled as the surveyed the damage to the precious herbal garden. "Mana! Mariko! Get your asses out here right now!" Instantly, two crestfallen kunoichi appeared before their leader..

"Y-y-yes sir?" Mariko stammered as Sasuke threw Akira to the ground next to her. The young girl was so scared that her crush was angry with her.

"Just what the hell happened?" bellowed their sensei, sending the small redhead into a torrent of tears.

"Well, we killed all the pests in the field, just like the mission guidelines said to," she sniffed, looking over at her fellow teammates.

"True, but the other half of the mission was to do as little damage as possible!" Sasuke screamed, doing his best impression of Iruka's Big-Head jutsu.

"It's all Akira's fault! He used a Suiton jutsu to flush all the animals to the surface!" Mariko spat, causing Akira's face to fall. Mana, however, noticed this and had to interject.

"He only did that after you complained about how long it was going to take," the blue-haired kunoichi said, in a matter-of fact way. "You wished to spend more time with sensei, if I remember correctly." Her fellow kunoichi shot her an evil look.

"That was the plan, after all," Akira added in his defense, "I would flush them out and you and Mana would dispose of them!" Mariko was about to punch the poor lad when Sasuke intervened.

"ENOUGH!!" he bellowed again, causing all three to shrink back. "Akira, care to tell me about the geyser out there?"

"Uh, well, I needed a lot of water to put out the fires in the hedge…and the cats…and the sheep…so I used a whole lot of chakra and pulled as much water into the jutsu as I could. I just…didn't know that there was an underground water pipe that ran under the field. Sorry," he answered, shamefaced. Sasuke merely sighed.

"_Well, they did try really hard, and they did use teamwork, sort of_," Sasuke thought as he watched his team's misery. "Okay, first thing we have to do is fix this damage. Akira, go find the cut off for the water and then use a Suiton jutsu to remove all the water from the garden. Mariko, I'm going to show you how to use a Katon to dry the soil, and we'll use a kunai to plug the hole in the pipe. I'll weld it with a Raiton jutsu of mine. Mana, you gather up as many of the plants as you can, maybe we can salvage something. After that, we'll go talk to Farmer Kubo and then report our failure to the Hokage."

"Yes, sensei," they muttered dejectedly as they left to carry out their assigned tasks. Hours later, everything was repaired as they reported to the farmer.

"Don't expect me to pay your Hokage for this job," Kubo stated as he crossed his arms and glared at the four shinobi. "We're just lucky that my crop was so close to being harvested! However, between being harvested early and all the damage, I've lost nearly half the crop! Not to mention my dogs and sheep! I expect to be compensated for my losses!"

"Yes sir, we understand," Sasuke apologized as he and his team turned to leave the fuming farmer.

"Huh! What do you expect from an Uchiha!" Kubo growled as he slammed his front door. Sasuke seethed, turning red as he marched his team toward the Hokage Tower. He understood that between he, his father's and Itachi's actions, nobody trusted the Uchiha anymore. But to hear what used to be such a respected name spoken with such distain really galled him.

"_Damn, Karma's a bitch_," he mused as he watched his team amble down the road, trading the occasional blows, "_And she's in heat_!"


	9. Chapter 9

-1To Live is So Much Harder….

Chapter 9

"Daddy, could you please tell me what's wrong? I've never seen you like this before! Is Naruto alright?" Ino begged as she and her mother did everything they could to calm down a rather distraught Inochi. The eldest blonde merely sat at the table, his eyes wide and his hands trembling as he took sip after sip of the chamomile tea that his wife had made for him. It had always worked before to calm him down after rough missions, so she hoped that it would do the trick once more.

"Ino, sweetie, perhaps it would be better if you just went upstairs and let your father relax a bit," her mother began, hoping to spare Ino from any troubling news that her father must have to relay. Ino began to protest when Inochi reached out and placed a shaky hand on her arm.

"No. No, that's alright, dear. I want our daughter to be here, it's…reassuring to have her around," Inochi said as he looked deep within his wife's eyes. "She has every right to hear what I have discovered, after all, Naruto is rather…close…to her." He noticed that the two of them were looking at him with somewhat confused expressions on their faces.

"What do you mean by that?" his wife asked, still worried. She had only seen Inochi come home in that state once before, and it had frightened her terribly. Ino sighed in exasperation, this sitting around when something might be badly wrong with her friend was driving her nuts!

"Daddy! Please!" Ino pleaded, desperation in her eyes as she grabbed unto her father's hand, causing him to turn his full attention to her. "What's wrong with Naruto?"

Inochi closed his eyes and sighed as he attempted to gather his thoughts, "I'm not sure exactly what is wrong with Naruto, Princess," he began as Ino's heart sank to her feet, a tear beginning it's long trek down her smooth face to the waiting tabletop below. "I can tell you this, it has to be something truly horrible if he can survive both the Fox and the memories of what has happened to him since he was born!" His wife and daughter just looked at him as he said this, the gears had yet to start turning within their minds.

"I understand about the Kyuubi, but what about his memories?" his wife asked. Ino sighed, knowing that though her mother was just as big a gossip Ino herself, she never truly saw the dark side of their village. Ino's eyes followed her father as he abruptly stood up and walked over to the kitchen window, his eyes peering into the deep, dark past.

"There are times as a mind-walker, Ino, when we dive into a mind that has been so scarred that we don't come back the same way we were when we started," her father said in a haunted voice, as a lone tear slid down his cheek. Ino was utterly shocked, for she had never seen her father show such raw emotion before. Much like Naruto, he almost always had a smile on his lips and a laugh in his heart, despite the fact he was a top-flight shinobi who was feared by the enemy almost as much as Konoha's head interrogator, Ibuki. "There were many things I knew, or thought I knew, about the activities of this village and it's inhabitants. Now, after all that I've seen, there are people in this town that I'll never be able to look in the eye again. They'll be lucky that I don't put a kunai in their hearts, or scramble their minds like broken eggs!"

"What happened?" his wife asked, still confused as to what her husband saw, "Why did you look into Naruto's memories? Was it what you had to do to discover what was wrong with him?" Ino wondered this as well, knowing full well that her father would have never violated Naruto's mind like that without a good reason. He was supposed to go in and see to Naruto's immediate problems, not to delve into his past.

"I had no choice, honey," Inochi replied as he turned back toward his family, "when I entered Naruto's mind, it had finally calmed down to the point that I started to look for Naruto's self-image, so I could determine why he had not healed and why his mind was still shutdown. I met something…monstrous."

"Kyuubi no Kitsune," Ino whispered, her mind unable to come up with a horrid enough image to be able to picture the demon fox. Inochi slowly nodded his head in agreement.

"Indeed. As soon as I entered Naruto's mind, I was confronted by the Fox. The sheer power of his anger forced me through the doorway down the Path of Memories. Before I could turn from the Starlight Path, the door was slammed behind me. I experienced everything that Naruto went through his entire life. I saw it all, I felt…everything." A shudder ran through Inochi's body as his eyes seemed to go blank. After a second or two, he shook himself and walked back to the table and took a seat, seemingly oblivious to the dropped jaws of his family.

"You felt it…all?" Ino asked quietly. That was proof of the Fox's power, being able to force the actual feelings upon a mind-walker. Normally, a mind-walker could watch the memories, and maybe be able to get a pale glimmer of the feelings involved, but it took a truly talented person to be able to go so deep as to actually merge with the memories and emotions. Either that, or an incredible power to force it upon them. Inochi nodded sadly, then locked eyes with his daughter.

"Everything," he agreed, his eyes never wavering from his daughter. Ino went pale when she finally realized what her father was talking about. He knew everything that Naruto knew about her, and what had happened in the past. She watched as sadness filled his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ino, I never knew that your ex-boyfriend had treated so badly, had put you through so much! I never knew he pushed you to…" Inochi erupted in tears as Ino jumped up and wrapped her father up in a hug.

"It's okay, Daddy, it's okay," she whispered as her tears matched his own. Her heart sank as she felt her father breakdown, for there were certain things that Naruto, and Naruto alone, knew about her. She never wanted her family or friends to know about them whatsoever, and Naruto had agreed with her wishes back then. She gasped as her father spun in his seat and wrapped his powerful arms around her. "I'm alright now, I promise! Okay?"

"Ino, what are you two talking about?" her mother asked, her eyebrows lifted in obvious confusion. Ino opened her mouth to answer when Inochi violently shook his head.

"It's ninja business, dear," he muttered as he wiped his eyes on his shirtsleeve. Ino quickly nodded her head in agreement. If what her father had learned had such a profound effect on him, then her mother really didn't need to know! "However, if anything like that happens again, I expect you to let me know! Alright, Princess?"

"Yes, Daddy," Ino responded as she absentmindedly rubbed her left wrist as the three of them sat back down at the table and continued to have tea, all the while enjoying each others company and the warmth only a close family can provide…..

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A week had passed since the disastrous mission at Farmer Kubo's place, and things had not gotten much better. The Hokage had informed them that not only did Sasuke have to pay Kubo back for all the crops that had been ruined (due to the fact he had failed to supervise his team), but all four of them had to spend part of their down time helping Kubo and several other farmers getting their fields ready for planting their crops to be harvested in the Fall. None of them were relishing that task.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he watched his 'team' in the middle of a knockdown, drag-out fight that was supposed to be a sparring match. It had started out innocently enough, until Akira cut loose with a Suiton jutsu that got Mariko's hair wet. Normally, that would only result in a knock on the head by the irate redhead, but on this day she had chosen to spend the better part of the morning styling it just right to catch the eye of her sensei. Needless to say, she was extremely pissed at the moment, and promptly tackled Akira and proceeded to pound his head into the dirt. Mana stepped forward break them up, only to be grabbed by Mariko and dragged into the fur-ball.

"Uh, Sasuke, don't you think you should break them up?" Sakura asked as she walked onto Team 13's training grounds, a rather fussy baby in her arms. Sasuke sighed as he watched his lover approach with their child, getting up slowly and then wrapping her up in his arms as he reached down and stroked the baby's face. This only caused the baby to start to cry, which did nothing for Sasuke's nerves.

"Naw, I guess we should just let them handle it themselves, that's what Kakashi-sensei would have done," he mumbled as he moved up behind her and began to nibble on her neck. Sakura's face turned red and shivers ran down her body, welcoming the tingles that ran straight down to her toes and right back up again as Sasuke continued his assault on her neck.

"Why am I not surprised at that attitude, Uchiha?" Iruka stated as he walked out from behind a nearby tree, his son resting in his arms as he stared first at the two lovers and their child and then back toward the moving tangle of limbs that continued to crawl across the ground. "Son, cover your ears for a sec, okay?"

" 'Kay," the little boy said quietly as he reached up and covered his small ears as he watched his father perform his famous Big-Head jutsu. Sasuke and Sakura both blanched and tried to cover their ears, as well as the baby's.

"THAT IS ENOUGH !!!!!!" Iruka bellowed, which caused three little Genin instantly stop their brawl and bolt upright, standing at perfect attention. Sasuke and Sakura both had to fight the reaction as well.

"Yes, Iruka-sensei!" all three chirped in perfect unison, each of them trembling at the memories attached to that voice. Iruka merely shook his head, trying to forget the hell those three had given him at the Academy. He was more than happy to send them off as Genin several weeks ago.

"That's better," Iruka said as he stood before the three and surveyed the damage. " I hope you haven't been _too_ much trouble for your sensei. Now, why don't you three head on off while I talk to Mr. Uchiha for a bit?"

"Shouldn't that be 'Lord Uchiha', Iruka-sensei?" Sakura asked, somewhat perturbed at their former teacher's lack of respect toward her lover. Iruka shot her an evil glare that frightened her and Sasuke both.

"Whatever," he waved off as they watched Team 13 take off toward town, with little Mariko turning back occasionally to shoot Sakura a withering glance. She didn't like how close she was to her precious sensei, and was extremely jealous of the pink-haired Jounin.

"Iruka, just what did you mean by that comment about my attitude?" Sasuke asked, refusing to add 'sensei' to Iruka's name. He was a little upset at how his Genin responded to his former teacher and the obvious lack of respect Iruka had for him. Iruka merely smirked at The Uchiha's question.

" Just exactly what I said, I'm not surprised about your attitude. You stood there and let your team fight one another without lifting a finger! To top it off, you were kissing on Sakura in front of them! If I remember correctly, it was your affair with her that lead to the break up of her marriage, just what the hell kind of an example is that to show young Genin?" Iruka fumed as he stared the young couple down. Sasuke, not used to getting dressed down, especially in front of his lover, quickly grew quite angry and stepped forward and confronted Iruka.

"My personal life is none of your concern, _Chunin_! I would ask you to kindly keep your fucking nose out my business…WHAT THE FUCK?!" Sasuke yelled as his face was forcefully slammed into a nearby tree. He could feel Iruka's hot breath in his ear as pain shot up his right arm, which had been forced back and locked into his lower back.

"Wrong, you son of a bitch!" Iruka hissed quietly into his ear so as not to be heard by anyone other than Sasuke. "Your personal life concerns me greatly as of a hour ago! First off, don't ever swear near my son again! Second, don't EVER throw my rank in my face again! I stepped down as both a Jounin and an ANBU captain to help teach future shinobi how to survive! Trust me, you don't want to see my Dolphin mask coming after you!" Sasuke almost lost control of his bodily functions upon hearing about the Dolphin. Itachi had always spoke reverently of the Dolphin as his mentor in the ANBU Corps, and how it was the Dolphin who stepped down and turned the title of ANBU captain over to him. The only regret Itachi had ever confided in him before the massacre was the fact he was never able to defeat the Dolphin in combat.

"Now," Iruka announced as he spun Sasuke back around and threw him to the ground next to where Sakura stood. Said Pink-haired medic stood in shocked wonder at the transformation that had overtaken her former teacher. What surprised her even more was the fact she never saw Iruka move, nor had she seen him sit his son on the ground about twenty feet away from them. The little boy sat there, happily playing with the little wooden kunai Naruto had gotten him for his last birthday. "As I was about to say before this…unpleasantness…was that the Lady Hokage has sent me to deliver this to you."

"Oww," Sasuke barked as a scroll bounced off his forehead before falling into his lap. As he opened it, Iruka smiled evilly as he made his announcement. He was enjoying the parade of emotions that was playing over the young Uchiha's face.

"As of this moment, Uchiha, due to your actions and your lack of supervision of the team under your command, Lady Tsunade has demoted you to the rank of Chunin. This is a temporary measure until such time as your probationary supervisor deems you ready to return to the rank of Jounin. At any time between then and now, you can and will be visited by your supervisor at anytime of the day or night. You will report to your supervisor daily to receive any assignments that he has deemed appropriate for you at that time. Failure to do so can and will result in in the loss of your status as a shinobi, your family fortunes, and the remainder of your family lands. Do you understand the terms of this decision?" Iruka asked as he looked at the couple before him coolly. Sakura was stunned, but Sasuke was turning red with an ever growing anger.

"Surely, Iruka-sensei, this is entirely too harsh of a punishment for an unsuccessful mission or two," Sakura reasoned, her confusion growing, but so was a rather bitter suspicion.

"It's a matter of character, Haruno," Iruka replied as he walked over to his son and picked him up from the ground, "Or the lack there of. Jounin hold a place of leadership within shinobi ranks and their actions, both on missions and in their private lives, are subject to review. I thought Kakashi had taught you about the importance of teamwork. Team members don't not stab one another in the back!" he spat.

"So, just who is my supervisor, then, if I may ask?" Sasuke inquired, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He felt his world sink when he saw the shark-like grin on Iruka's face.

"Me," he replied, killer intent rolling off him like waves of malice, "And after what you have done, you had just better pray I don't have you listed as a missing nin for what you have done!"

"So, this is about Naruto, huh?" Sasuke barked as he sprung to his feet, his fist clinched and crumpling the scroll in his possession.

"That's me!" Iruka's little son piped up as his father tried to suppress a smile at his child.

"Hush, now, Ruto! We're talking about your Uncle Naruto, not you," Iruka said gently as he turned his attention back to the others.

"He gave me this!" the little brown-haired boy said proudly as he brandished his wooden kunai that his favorite uncle had gotten him.

"What, is that bastard's pride hurt so much that he's crying to Tsunade to punish us? Is that his little…OOF!" Sasuke doubled over in pain as Iruka removed his fist from the Uchiha's stomach.

"Remember what I told you about cursing, Uchiha!" Iruka seethed as he took a step back and took in a calming breath before continuing. "Naruto hasn't asked for anything, as well you know! So keep your mouth shut! Now, meet me at the academy first thing in the morning about your first assignment, afterwards you'll have to go help the farmers as previously ordered."

"And what happens if I refuse?" Sasuke growled, his temper getting the best of him. Iruka raised one eyebrow and cast a look to Sakura and their child.

"Do you really want to become a missing nin again? Can you imagine what that would do to Sakura and your child? Would you want that life for them? Would you really like your son to grow up known as the son of a traitor? Is that any kind of life for a child?" Iruka asked softly, causing Sasuke to back off and think about the consequences of his actions, or lack there of. He glanced at Sakura and their child, and decided it would be best to control his temper and swallow his pride.

"No, Iruka-sensei, it's not. I'll do as you say," he replied, defeated. Iruka nodded as he turned with Ruto and began to walk off.

"Daddy, can we go see Unka Naruto again? I miss him," Ruto asked quietly as his father began to carry him from the training field. His question caused Sakura and Sasuke both to gasp in shock.

"Iruka-sensei! Do you know where Naruto is?" Sakura asked hopefully. Iruka spun around quickly and glared at her incredulously. His jaw dropped as she continued. "We haven't seen him since the baby was born, and we all need to sit down and have a long family talk! Please, can you tell us where he is?"

"You…you really don't know, do you?" the scarred Chunin asked disbelievingly. Sakura watched as Iruka and Ruto both got quiet, sadness clearly evident in their eyes.

"Of course not, Iruka-sensei! We've been looking for him since the day he stormed out," Sasuke replied, acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Unka Naruto is in the hospital," Ruto said as the training field got deathly quiet….

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A platinum blonde kunoichi peeked around the door to see if anyone else was in the room other than the stricken occupant of the lone bed within. Seeing nobody else around, she sheepishly opened the door and shuffled over to the chair beside the bed. She chided herself for her timidness, for Ino Yamanaka was never timid. She faced life head on, ready to kick it in the balls if it gave her any lip. Or at least, that was the impression she gave the rest of the world. There was only one person on the planet that knew otherwise, and he was the one lying on the bed in a coma.

"Hey, Naruto," she whispered with a sad smile on her face as she sat down and reached over, taking his rough, still hand in her own slender one. She glanced around and made sure that no one else was around, fearing that everyone else knew her horrid little secret. She knew that was a silly thing to fear, for she knew that her loving father hadn't told anyone else of what he had found in Naruto's mind, as it pertained to herself.

"**Aw crap, not her again!" **Kyuubi grumbled deep within his cage. "**You'd think she'd give up on you, kit!**"

"How are you doing today?" she asked as if expecting an answer. When none was forthcoming, Ino sighed as she patted his hand. She looked sadly at his still face, noticing how peaceful he looked. She shook her head at the image that flashed through her mind.

"**How the hell you think he is, idiot! He's in a fucking coma! Damn, you blondes are dense!" **the fox growled as a shudder ran throughout his great body.

"Daddy came home a week ago and told me about the mind-dive he took to try to see what was wrong with you," she whispered as she thought about what all her father had seen in his mind. The two of them had a very long talk after her mother had gone to bed that night. Many tears were shed, many hugs were given, and several admonishments were traded before they had retired that night. "He found out about…that night."

"**That was her father? Oh shit**!" Kyuubi barked as he called out to his container. "**Hey kit! You really need to wake up! That mind-walker was Blondie's father! Hey! Kit**!"

"I guess I should be mad at you for telling on me," she giggled a bit, trying her best to act as light-hearted as possible, "but I guess it really wasn't your fault! I hear you furry little friend was to blame."

"**Hey, bitch! I'm not little!**" the Kitsune snarled as he tried to flare his chakra, but failed miserably. "**Damn it, kit! You gotta wake up because this chick's constant talking is driving me nuts!**"

"I…never really thanked you for what you did for me," she whispered, still afraid that someone would walk up and hear what was going on, "and that made you very special to me. Annoying most of the time, but special."

"**Oh, gag me!! If this shit keeps up, I'm gonna need an insulin shot! Ugh**!" Kyuubi moaned, feeling ill to his stomach. He made sure not to move too much, fearing what would happen.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around much this past week, I promise that I didn't forget about you! It's just…I was kinda afraid to show my face, you know? What are the odds that I'd be afraid to show my face anywhere, huh? It's like since Daddy had discovered my…our secret, I was afraid everyone would know! I'm still kinda jumping at shadows. Stupid, isn't it?"

"**Sheesh**," grumbled the Fox, rolling his eyes at her little speech.

"I know that you never talked about the crap you went through growing up, but Daddy told me about the hell you were put through as a kid, and.…and….I'm so sorry, Naruto! I know I did some of that as kids! I.…I just wish I was there for you back then, when we were kids!" Ino stammered as the tears began to slide down her cheeks. The fox had no response for that comment, he merely stayed silent, though a low growl was beginning to build within his throat.

"You're such a great guy, Naruto! I just wished I had known that back then! Maybe….maybe you wouldn't have had to go through all that pain, maybe I could have helped! Maybe….maybe you wouldn't have ended up here…," Ino whispered that last part as she began to lift the veil, ever so slightly, from a hidden part of her heart. A part she had denied since that one night.

"**Maybe**," the Fox agreed, "**but maybe if a frog had wings, he wouldn't kick his own ass when he jumps!**"

"_Toads_," Kyuubi heard whispered, but it was so soft, it could have been a trick of the wind.

"Daddy shared some of the memories with me," the blonde kunoichi continued, which caused the Fox to raise it's eyebrows, "but he said that there were some that were too…intense…for me. He said he didn't want me to go through the trauma."

"**Well, ain't that just tough shit! They were too intense for the kit to go through, but guess what? It happened, bitch!!**" Kyuubi snarled, getting rather angry at the annoying voice that had come to haunt him.

"But I thought to myself: What would Naruto do to help a friend that was in real trouble?" Ino pondered as she stood from the chair, looking down upon Naruto's still face while still holding his hand.

"**Huh?**" the Kitsune wondered , not really sure what she was getting at.

"And I realized that you would do anything you could to help those who were…dear…to you! I knew you would walk through Hell and back to help your precious people," she continued as she released Naruto's hand and placed it lovingly on the other.

"**Uh oh**," Kyuubi muttered, preparing for the worst. He knew a headache was coming on.

"I can do no less!" she proudly stated as she positioned her hands to perform her family's signature jutsu, "Shintenshin no Jutsu!"

"**AW CRAP!!**" Kyuubi barked as Ino's body fell to the floor with a resounding 'thump'…..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sight before Ino was nothing like what she expected. Whereas the mindscape of most people reflected something peaceful and idyllic, Naruto's was far from it. Ino was shocked to see that she was standing in a sewer, and was knee deep in fetid water. Looking to her left and right, she noticed huge pipes that ran the length of the sewer, going off and vanishing into the vast distance. The mind walker shuddered as she surveyed her surroundings, only to be stopped when she felt something cold and wet fall on her bare shoulders. Looking up, she saw the same sort of pipes running overhead, and unfortunately, they were leaking. Leaking what, she didn't know.

"Ewww," she said as her imagination got the better of her, fearing what had dripped on her. She quickly turned and began to walk toward the closest light source, purposely ignoring the various opening to her left and right that appeared as she traveled further along. She had learned a long time ago to head toward the brightest light, because that was the center of the subject's mind, the resting place of the consciousness. What she hadn't noticed was the fact that the water level was getting lower and lower the closer she got to the light.

"Come on, Naruto! I know you're just ahead of me, hang on baby!" Ino muttered as she took off in a run as soon as the water level had allowed her to, barreling toward the ever-beaconing, red-tinged light. The doorway grew larger and larger until it filled her view and she burst through it at top speed. What she saw before her stopped her in her tracks.

"What the hell?" she wondered as she began to walk toward the massive set of iron gates that dominated the great cavern that she had stumbled upon. Ino could hear the sound of something _huge_ taking great, ragged breaths on the other side. The closer she got, the more nervous she became, until she stood before the great gates as she stared at the paper seal that held the massive structures closed. Ino had never been so nervous before in her life as she peered between the bars to see what was lying in wait beyond.

"**What the fuck do you want, bitch?**" a great voice rattled, shaking the floor of the sewer so greatly that Ino feared that she would fall on her butt. She let out a small shriek as a pair of huge, blazing eyes appeared out of the dark as she felt a hot wind wash over her. The horrible eyes locked onto her and seemed to bore right down into her soul. "**Are you here to hurt the kit? If so, you will make a tasty snack! Rest assured, none will hurt him again if I can help it!**"

"The kit? Who's this kit you're talking about? I'm here for Naruto," she squeaked as she fought to keep from running back to her own body and hiding under her bed, safe at home. She heard a rumble shake the cavern, something that was akin to a barking laugh.

"**Stupid mortal! Just who the hell do you think I'm talking about?! Who's head are you currently in?" **the voice growled as a set of great teeth shone in the fiery light. Ino's eyes grew huge as her mind tried to shut down. Her father hadn't really told her about this, but he hadn't known she was going to dive into Naruto's mind in the first place.

"Naruto's, right?" Ino whispered as realization struck her like a thunderbolt. She stepped closer to the cage until her body was actually standing between two of the bars, as she continued to look up into those horrible eyes "So that means you're…."

"**Yes, say it,**" the rumble continued as the eyes took on a hungry look. Saliva began to slide down the monstrous fangs and drip to the floor beyond. A loud scraping began to be heard, like that of a steel blade on metal plate.

"Kyu.…Kyu.…Kyu…" Ino stammered as she look another step forward, her hair swaying in the hot wind that came and went in great waves.

"**SAY IT!!!!**" the voice yelled with such volume that it could have shattered mountains. Ino fell to one knee to keep from being blow backwards out of the cage, the same cage that she hadn't really noticed that she had walked into.

"Kyuubi," Ino gasped as she stood back up and dusted off her knee and began to walk toward the voice.

"**Yes! Kyuubi no Kitsune. Kyuubi no Yoko. The Nine-Tailed Fox. King of the Bijuu. Lord of the Great Tailed Beasts. Lord of Demons. I am all that and more! Now, just who the fuck are you?**" Kyuubi answered as he watched the blonde before him continue to walk toward him, never knowing exactly what kind of danger she was in. Either she was very brave or very stupid.

"I…I'm Ino, Ino Yamanaka," the mind-walker replied as she continued her trek toward the terrifying eyes. Kyuubi's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"**Ah, you're the Blondie!**" Kyuubi barked, laughing his tails off. "**God, you're so annoying! I haven't had a decent rest since you started talking to my idiot of a jailor!**" Ino bristled at her reception.

"Hey, you bastard fox! What the hell gives you the right to talk to me like that?!" Ino yelled as she walked even closer toward the blazing eyes, her fist raised like she was going to bash his head in, " If it wasn't for me, you would be dead!" A great crashing threw her from her feet.

"**What! How dare you speak to me so! If it wasn't for the fucking people in this forsaken village, we wouldn't even be in this situation!**" the Kyuubi snarled, tearing great chunks out of the floor of his cell. "**After all the hell you people put him through…OH SHIT! Kit! I'm sorry!!**"

"What?! What's wrong?" Ino shouted as she sprinted toward the voice before coming into a large circle of light and screeching to a halt at the sight before her. "You're the Kyuubi?"

"**What?! I've already told you who I am!**" Kyuubi snarled as he nuzzled something between his front paws. Ino just stared at the sight before her.

The Great and Terrible Kyuubi no Kitsune wasn't as great and terrible as she had been led to believe. The beast was huge, that was for sure, but it was nowhere near as large as he appeared to be when she was outside the cage. Without his tails, which were laying limply on the cage floor, Kyuubi was no longer than about 60 feet long, and since he was laying on his belly on the cage floor, his head measured about 13 feet or so off the ground. His fur varied in color from a deep red to a pale orange, and as she began to walk around him, she noticed a huge gash in his side that seemed to pour blood. She followed the trail of blood down and noticed that it pooled in the bottom of the cage, coloring the water a deep crimson color. She began to walk back to the front of the Tailed Beast as his head swiveled and followed her every move. When she came toward his front paws, which seemed to be shielding something, his head lashed at her with a huge snap of it's jaws.

"Hey! What was that for?" Ino bellowed as the Kyuubi pulled it's head back and nuzzled whatever it was hiding between it's paws.

"**You are not to come any closer to him, do you understand? I will not have him harmed again! I forced that last mind-walker to live through the hell the kit went through, and I have no problems doing the same to you!**" the Fox growled as his eyes locked unto Ino's. The platinum blonde's temper got the better of her as she placed her hands on her hips and barked back, forgetting she was yelling at the most powerful of the Bijuu.

"If I was here to harm him, don't you think I would have done that outside his mind, dumbass!" Ino yelled, causing Kyuubi to smirk inwardly. " I came here to find out what was wrong with my friend and to find out why in the world you aren't doing your job and healing him up! And that other mind-walker was my Daddy, and he was here to help Naruto, too!"

"**Not doing my job? Now see here, you little snack, I'm doing everything I can for the kit! I'm trying to protect him from you assholes while holding his mind together! I'm sending as much chakra as I can to heal him, but it's kinda hard seeing how I'm kinda fucked up right now!**" Kyuubi sniped back, causing a small whimper to come from between his paws. **"Hush now! It's alright, Kit! I'm not going to let her hurt you!"**

"Ino," a small, childlike voice said so softly that it would have been easy to miss. Ino gasped, her eyes growing wide as something sounded vaguely familiar about that voice.

"Is that…is that Naruto?" she asked quietly as she stepped slowly toward Kyuubi's paws. He refused to stop her as she drew closer and closer and finally saw the small boy laying there on the ground, wrapped up in the fur of the Fox's paws. The little boy could have been no older than two or three years old, with spiky blonde hair and light whisker marks of his cheeks. "Naruto?"

"Ino?" the little boy asked as he opened his eyes sleepily and looked at Ino with the cutest, bright blue eyes she had ever seen. He cocked his head slightly then burst into tears as he reached out for the platinum blonde. Ino's heart broke as she reached between the Fox's paws and scooped him up in her arms and cradled him the best she could.

"Shh, it's okay, little one, it's okay," Ino whispered as she held the toddler close and rocked him back and forth, doing everything she could to comfort the child. Looking over Naruto's head , she looked up at the Kyuubi and asked, "What happened?"

"**I'm not sure,**" Kyuubi muttered as he watched the young woman before him comfort the toddler, "**but near as I can tell, his mind shattered. He reverted back to a younger age, before he could remember any of the bullshit they put him through.**"

"Ino, I missed you," Baby Naruto sniffled as he buried his face in her long hair, "you went away for a long time! Did.…did I do something wrong?" A tear slid down Ino's face when she heard the sadness in his voice.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong, baby! I wanted to be here for you, I was just worried about something silly! I'm so sorry! Can you forgive me?" Baby Naruto nodded his head and continued to hold onto her for dear life. "What can we do to get him back to normal?"

"**I… really don't know,**" Kyuubi replied as he looked upon the two mortals before him. "**Normally, I would be able to heal his body, but this gash in my side is slowing me down seriously. As for his mind…I don't know. His was the strongest mind I had ever known, despite how idiotic he liked to act sometimes. Can you tell me who would be strong enough to deal with me inside them, and then survive all the insults, beatings and assassination attempts that this child has gone through?**"

"Then what can we do?" Ino asked, still rocking the young boy in her arms. His sniffles had disappeared as he fell asleep on her shoulder. "Wait, you said his mind shattered? Where are the pieces? I don't see them laying around here anywhere."

"**Through that portal on my right**," Kyuubi replied as he pointed a claw toward a dark passageway. Ino gulped silently as she stared into a void that was darker than any night she had ever known. "**That is where I sent the last mind-walker, but I guess he just wasn't strong enough. The kit's memories overwhelmed him**."

"Whoa," Ino mumbled. If her father wasn't strong enough to keep himself from being overwhelmed, then what chance did she have? Ino quickly shook her head and reminded herself that she was here for Naruto, and she was bound and determined to find a way to bring him back.

"**Whoa, indeed**," Kyuubi rumbled. Nodding her head, Ino walked back toward the huge fox and placed the small toddler back between the beast's huge paws. That action quickly woke Naruto up, and caused him to cry out in protest.

"NO! No go, Ino!" Baby Naruto wailed as he continued to reach out for her. The blonde kunoichi felt her heart trying to break at the sadness reflected in the little boy's eyes.

"Shh! It's okay! I won't be gone for long, I promise!" Ino said soothingly as she stroked Naruto's hair, quickly quieting his protests. "I'm just going to go over there for a few minutes and see if I can do anything to help you get better, okay?"

" 'Kay," Naruto pouted as he quickly snuggled into the reddish fur that grew between the pads on Kyuubi's paws, falling into a peaceful sleep. Ino would have thought it was a cute scene if she didn't know for a fact that the Kyuubi was a huge demon known for it's extreme destruction. She turned and began her trek toward the passageway when she stopped, spun on her heel, placed her hands on her hips, and proceeded to yell at the Fox.

"Hey! Wait just one damn minute here! If his mind is accessible to you in your cage, then just why in the hell haven't you gone in there and fixed him?!" the blonde barked, extremely angered. She quickly blanched when she felt an intense wave of killer intent heading in her direction.

"**Do not raise your voice at me, mortal!!**" Kyuubi snapped, his blazing eyes doing their best to incinerate Ino on the spot. "**If it was within my power to do so, I would have reconstructed the kit's mind to hate and destroy this village!! Alas, that is not the case! As it is, due to my wound, I barely have enough energy to heal the kit and to protect him! Plus, it ain't easy trying to keep a three year old from wondering off and getting lost within this accursed place!**"

"Your wound?" Ino asked as she moved back toward Kyuubi's side, until she came to the gash in his side that she had noticed earlier. Looking closer, it appeared to her as if it had been sliced open by a rather large sword. The blood she had seen pouring from it earlier was, in fact, the Kyuubi's chakra. He was losing it in rather copious amounts.

"How…?" she asked, amazed that anything could have harmed the Kyuubi, especially since it was sealed within Naruto.

"**The kit**," Kyuubi answered as he looked down upon the sleeping bundle between his paws, "**He gave that to me the same time he gave you that scar on your belly. He wasn't actually trying to harm me, just stop his own pain. He wasn't…exactly in his right mind at the time**."

"Yeah, no shit," Ino mumbled as she charged her hands with healing chakra and ran them over the wound, with no result.

"**It is of no use, Blondie**," the Kitsune grumbled as he felt something strange stir within his massive chest, "**that is pure demonic chakra pouring out. It will easily overwhelm yours.**"

"Hmm," the kunoichi pondered as she poured over the medical knowledge that Tsunade had forced into her brain during her training. A spark of an idea appeared, as she remembered an ancient technique that had been used to close wounds in the past. "That just might work!"

"**What are you going on about? Shouldn't you be trying to fix the kit's mind**?" the Fox growled, only to yelp as Ino swatted his hindquarters with a giant, rolled-up newspaper that appeared out of thin air. The power of the mind is a wondrous thing.

"Shut up, stupid fox!" Ino admonished as she closed her eyes and concentrated, until an eighteen-inch long, curved needle appeared in her hand. "Now, listen up! All this chakra of yours that's pouring out, can you control it?" Kyuubi quirked an eyebrow at the weird question.

"**Mostly, I think. However, once it's out and mixed up with the kit's, it's out of my paws!**" Ino nodded before giving the Fox some strange instructions.

"Alright then, what I need you to do is to form your chakra into a rope about a half-an-inch thick and to keep feeding it to me until I tell you to stop, okay?" Kyuubi turned his head and looked at the strange girl at his side.

"**Just what do you plan on doing?**" he inquired as he watched Ino grab the chakra rope, only to jerk her hand back as the demon's life-force burned her. Thinking quickly, Ino formed thick gloves and a surgical suit around her body before grabbing the rope once more and threaded it through the needle in her hand. Or As Kyuubi thought of it, a harpoon.

"Okay, this may sting a bit, but I bet a big, bad demon lord like you can handle a little pain, now can't you?" Ino smirked, watching the hackles rise on the Kitsune's back. Taking a deep breath, Ino plunged the needle into the torn skin of the Kyuubi and pulled it through before pulling to the other side and repeating the process. The Kyuubi let out a little yelp each time the needle punctured his skin. "Okay, I guess not. Does the little baby want a lollypop when Nurse Ino's done?"

"**Stupid, insolent mortals! First, The Fourth, then the brat, now you! What did I do to deserve this?**" he muttered then winced as the torture continued on. Ino grinned as she continued to work on the Great Fox.

"You want an itemized list, or just the highlights?" the blonde asked cheekily as she tugged the separated skin closer and closer together, doing her best to take care of her patient.

"**Just…just shut up,**" the Kyuubi whimpered as tears formed in the corner of his eyes. Between the pain in his side and the weird feeling in his chest, it was taking it's toll and leaving behind a very confused Fox. "**How…how much longer?**"

"Just about done," she replied as she climbed higher and higher to accomplish her task. She felt the tremors going through her patient, which really threw her for a loop, thinking that the demon who had attacked her village so many years prior would be this shaken up by getting stitches. She had seen small children handle it better. "There! Done! Feel better now?"

"**It's over?**" he asked as he watched her leap from his side, the surgical suit and gloves vanishing in puff of smoke. She patted his side and took notice that the flow of chakra had stopped, except the flow that kept sustaining the stitches. Ino nodded her head as she walked back to the front of the Beast and placed her hands on her hips. He continued to gaze at her as the weird feeling in his chest continued to increase. What was this feeling? It seemed familiar, like it was something he had felt before, but not directly.

"Yes, it's over, you big baby! Are you feeling any better yet?" Ino chided as she bent over Kyuubi's paws to check up on Naruto. He continued to look at her strangely as she stood back up and cocked an eyebrow, looking rather confused. "What?"

"**Yes, I am…feeling better**," Kyuubi replied as he tried his best to understand what was going on. What was this feeling? Gratitude? Why would she do this for him? Just to help her friend? Naruto would have survived despite the wound on Kyuubi. Didn't the little snack know that? Surely, she did, so why? Why? Why? "**I…thank you. I wonder though, why did you do this for me? You know the kit would have survived without having to treat me, right?**"

"Well," Ino said as she looked down at her feet for a second before returning his gaze, "you see, I don't like seeing others hurting. That's one reason I trained as a medic, to help others out. Not that I'm any good at it, but I still try." The Fox looked at her quizzically.

"**Don't sell yourself short, young one,**" Kyuubi rumbled, "**you did an exemplary job. So, you didn't do this for the kit, but…for me?**" Ino looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Of course I did it for you! Like I said, I don't like seeing anyone hurting! Is that such a strange concept to understand?" the blonde asked, shaking her head. Kyuubi barked out a short laugh.

"**For a demon, yes it is!**" he answered back, and laughed some more at the look on Ino's face. "**Come here, Blondie, I have something for you!**"

"Uh, okay," Ino said cautiously as she stepped a little closer to the Fox, but stopped when he raised one tail and whipped it around, pointing straight at her stomach. "By the way, my name is 'Ino', not 'Blondie'!"

"**You know something, Blondie? I like you! You remind me a whole lot of the kit! Now, hold still for a sec,**" Kyuubi ordered as the very tip of his tail began to quiver ever so slightly, drawing a rather intricate design across the scar on Ino's stomach. When he was finished, he sent his breath to wash over her, causing the design and the scar to both vanish before Ino's startled eyes.

"What was that?" she asked, rather dumbfounded. Kyuubi grinned as best as a huge fox could.

"**A…kindness for a kindness,**" he replied, shocking the young blonde. "**Your scar is gone, hidden in the seal that I just placed on you. Now, don't get upset! It wasn't an evil seal, all it does is hide the scar…and links you to the kit.**"

"What?! What makes you think I want to be linked to him?! I don't think of Naruto like that!" Ino bellowed, then quickly lowered her voice so as not to wake the sleeping toddler.

"**Bullshit. Don't you think I would have access to his memories? Or that I don't know that you have looked after him since this crap started? I may be a demon, but I have lived untold millennia, so I know when someone cares greatly for someone else. Listen to me before you protest yet again! All the seal does is let the one know when the other is in trouble. You two have been looking after each other off and on for years now, so what's the big deal?**" said the Kitsune as he watched the blonde before him visibly calm down. "**Alright, now I think it's time to try to get the brat's mind back together, don't you?**"

"Uh, yeah," Ino answered as she looked toward the great void once more. Kyuubi saw a slight shudder ripple through her being at the thought of entering such a daunting place.

"**Listen, if you get into trouble in there, just send a little chakra into your seal and I will see what I can do to help you out, okay? Remember, the kit needs you right now!**" Kyuubi whispered as best as he could, which wasn't much of one, but what can you do when you're a huge demon fox?

"Right!" she said as turned and, with one last look toward the sleeping toddler, marched into the dark, intimidating void beyond.


	10. Chapter 10

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 10

Ino took a deep breath and willed her heart to stop racing as she stepped through the portal into deep, vast darkness before her. She had never seen anything so black, so forbidding. Of all the minds that she had invaded in the past, Naruto's mind was the one that frightened her the most.

"Alright girl, get a grip!" she admonished herself as she shook the stiffness from her limbs. With a massive force of will, Ino urged her legs to carry her forward into the void. Once she got going, maintaining her pace became easier and easier.

The blonde kunoichi made her way blindly down the pathway, a strange crunching noise resounding through the dark with every step she took. Gradually, her eyes began to become adjusted to the dark, allowing her to discover that there was actually a pale, very pale, light emanating from somewhere in the dark beyond. Ino kept walking and walking until she lost all sense of time as the light slowly, yet steadily, grew brighter and brighter. Noticing a strange glinting coming from the floor, Ino glanced down and realized that the floor was covered in small, broken crystals. She now knew that this was the where the crunching sound was coming from, and observed that the closer she got to the pale light, the more crystals there were. The young Yamanaka knew that there was something strange about the whole scene before her, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

It wasn't until she finally made it to the source of the light that she understood what was so very wrong. Laying upon the ground before her were huge chunks of fractured crystal. It was the saddest sight Ino had ever seen, for this was the mind of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. What should have been a perfectly faceted jewel before her was now a ruined mess, with shards of his mind scattered to the Four Winds.

"Oh my god! This is the Starlight Path!" Ino gasped as she glanced upward and realized exactly what had been so wrong. There were no stars, the sky was a total curtain of black. Normally, the path to a person's mind was lit up like the night sky, as stars created a gorgeous scene for a mind-walker to take in. The stars were actually memory and thoughts that detach from the central gem and take their places in the fabric of the subject's mind. These are the memories and thoughts that come to someone from out of the blue, the ones that would suddenly just leap up and say 'Hey, don't you remember when…' or 'I wonder what that person is doing right now…'

Ino felt sick to her stomach when the enormity of what had happened hit her. She felt like crying when she realized that she was literally walking on his mind, stomping upon his memories. Stifling a sob, the blonde began to carefully pick her way through the jumble of shards that littered the floor until she reached the resting place of the largest fragment. It rested upon a stone pedestal that sprang from the floor below. Reaching out, she softly caressed the fractured lump of crystal and realized that it was the state that Naruto's mind was currently in, that of a very small child.

"He's such a cute baby," Ino said softly to no one in particular as she gazed about, looking for another shard that would fit amongst the voids in the mother stone. Noticing one particularly dark piece that seemed like it would fit, Ino picked it up and was suddenly bombarded by a rather intense memory…

_"…please, can I have something to eat, ma'am? I'm hungry," cried a little five year old Naruto as he stood in front of the woman who ran the orphanage he had lived in since before he could remember._

_"Where in hell is the dinner we just gave you?" the woman shrilled, her eyes burning holes into the dirty little boy that stood before her._

_"I…I didn't get any. You gave it all to the other kids," he pouted, his chest hurting as badly as his grumbling stomach. Without warning, the woman backhanded Naruto and sent him sprawling onto the floor, great sobs escaping his lips._

_"You fucking lying bastard! You just want to eat it all so nobody else can eat! What else can you expect from a demon?" the woman spat, her face turning red from rage._

_"I'm not lying!" Naruto wailed as he tried to pick himself up from the floor. Furious, his tormentor stomped over to him and kicked him in his stomach, sending him flying against the nearest wall._

_"You know what? I've had it with you, you fucking demon! I don't give a shit what the Hokage said, get out! Get the hell out of my orphanage! Nobody wants you! You're just a fucking waste of space!!" she bellowed as she snatched Naruto up by his hair and dragged him to the front door before violently throwing him out into the street. He quickly picked himself up and walked back up the steps and tried to get back inside. "Just what do you think you're doing, demon?"_

_"I…I just wanna get my foxy," the little blonde-haired boy sobbed as he nursed the arm he had landed on. His little stuffed fox was a present from the Hokage on his last birthday, and he couldn't sleep at night without it. Sneering at Naruto, the woman kicked him in the chest and sent him sprawling down the steps once more. _

_"You don't deserve anything, you little brat!" she spat, " Come here ever again and I will make sure that you will die like you should have done on the day you were born!" With that final vicious verbal assault, the scary woman slammed the door in the crying child's face…_

Ino gasped as the memory faded, tears pouring like great rivers down her face. Sniffling and shaking her head, she reached over and placed the horrid stone into it's place. The two stones merged once more as countless tiny shards and specks of dust flew forward and merged as well.

"I swear, if I ever see that bitch, I'm gonna kill her!" the blonde kunoichi snarled as she picked up another piece, this one glowing brightly as the memory flowed out and into Ino….

_"…You called for me, old man?" a seven year old Naruto asked as he stood before the desk of the Third Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as he watched the hyperactive son of Minato Namikaze fidget under the hand of the ANBU operative that had been sent to retrieve him. "If it's about how Farmer Kubo's sheep all turned blue, I didn't do it, I wasn't there, and you can't prove it!"_

_"Watch your mouth, brat!" the ANBU hissed as he pulled out a kunai and poised to strike the blonde down before a glare from the Hokage stopped him. With a quick wave of his hand, Sarutobi dismissed the ANBU before addressing Naruto._

_"No, no, Naruto, it hasn't anything to do with that," the Hokage chuckled as he threw a few photos onto the desk before the boy, "However, this is a ninja village, so trust me: we have proof! Heh!" He watched as Naruto's shoulders slumped._

_"Okay, so ya got me! What do I have to do?" Naruto grumbled as he crossed his arms and stared at the floor. Sarutobi's laughter quickly drew his eyes back upward._

_"We'll get to that later! So tell me, Naruto, what is the one thing you want most in the world?" Naruto's eyes got big as his smile split his face. He looked the Hokage straight in the eye and didn't hesitate a second before answering._

_"I want to be the greatest Hokage ever!" the blonde yelped as he punched his fist into the air, emphasizing his point. "Believe it!"_

_"That is all well and good, Naruto, but what do you have to do to become Hokage?" the old man asked, a twinkle in his eye as he watched the gears turn in the young boy's head._

_"You have to be a ninja! You have to be the best!" Naruto barked as his eyes locked onto Sarutobi's._

_"That's right, Naruto! Very good! So tell me, how would you like to go to school and learn how to become a ninja?" Sarutobi wasn't ready for it when Naruto vaulted over his desk and wrapped his arms around his neck in a massive hug…_

"Huh! I always wondered how he got into the Academy," Ino mused as she placed the glowing fragment into it's rightful place, watching the shards and dust attach to it and sealing it up. So she continued her task, picking through the chunks of crystal, finding the ones that properly fit the ever-growing mind-gem. As she picked them up and properly placed them, Naruto's good memories and darkest moments continued to play within her mind…

_…you're the Demon that attacked Konoha twelve years ago! You're the Kyuubi no Kitsune!!…_

_…Congratulations, Naruto! You graduate!…_

_…No, I won't go out with you! Who would want to go out with an idiot like you?!…_

_…Hey, Naruto? Would you like to go out sometime? I know this nice little restaurant…_

_…You fucking Demon! Why don't you just die!"…_

_…Thank you! You saved us!…_

_…A loser like you will never become a Chunin, let alone Hokage!…_

_…Damn, Naruto! I swear, you are the strongest person I've ever known! And now you're a Sage? Damn!…_

_…You can't even make a decent clone, loser!…_

_…I'm telling you, Naruto really learned the Rasengan faster than anyone else has even dreamed of…_

_…You're a joke, Uzumaki! It's your destiny to lose to me…_

_…I believe in you, Naruto…_

Ino did every thing she could to keep her mind on the business at hand, namely rebuilding her friend's shattered mind. The memories, however, were extremely powerful, just like the person they belonged to. They threatened to overwhelm the blonde kunoichi as she slowly pieced Naruto's mind back together. Some of the memories hurt her greatly, and she swore to herself that she would make as many of the people involved pay dearly for how badly they had hurt Naruto. She was getting a handle on her emotions, until she came to several shards that seemed more powerful than the rest. One, in particular, glowed so bright that she could scarcely look at it. One huge piece continued to flash between blackest pitch and brightest day, but the darkness was slowly beginning to win. The third piece was clear as glass, neither glowing nor darkening. This piece was an enigma for the mind-walker, so she chose the largest piece, hoping that it would help speed things along. As she touched it, her mind was violently slammed by the memories enclosed within…

_"…I love you, Sakura! Will you marry me?" Naruto asked on bended knee as he looked up at his girlfriend, as tears glistened in her eyes. It was the anniversary of their first date, and he and Sakura had grown extremely close over the past year. She was there for him when he discovered who his parents were, and held him as tears of sorrow over the loss of parents he never knew washed over him. They held each other as nightmares of the day Pein attacked and the loss of so many people attacked them at the most unexpected times. They healed each other's wounds like only best friends and lovers could._

_"Oh my god! Really?" Sakura squeaked as she saw the ring held out in Naruto's hand. She recognized it as his mother's wedding band. She watched Naruto smile and nod his head, letting her know that he wasn't joking. _

_"YES!" she chirped as Naruto placed the ring on her finger and then stood up and wrapped his fiancée up in a huge hug. It was there, on top of the carved head of his father that Naruto's heart learned what it truly meant to be happy…,_

"Sakura was so happy the next day," Ino whispered as her memories of Naruto's and Sakura's engagement flooded her mind, "I had never seen either one of them so happy before, even before Sasuke's defection!"

_…Naruto and Sasuke stumbled back toward the village that the Uchiha had left several years before in his long quest for power and to avenge his clan. As they drew closer, the massive gates of the village slowly swung open, revealing a gathering crowd of ninja and civilians alike. They all wondered if Naruto had finally fulfilled his promise to his wife and brought their errant teammate back. Slowly, the two shinobi crossed over the threshold and waved to everyone before collapsing in a rather large heap._

_"Sasuke!" Sakura Namikaze yelled as she rushed over to the Uchiha's side and began to run a diagnostic jutsu on his to determine his injuries. Within the span of a second or two, she charged her limbs with chakra and carried the missing-nin toward the hospital. Naruto looked on incredulously before passing out from exhaustion._

_"Naruto! Wake up!" Tsunade bellowed as she tried to rouse the Toad Sage. She couldn't believe that Sakura had left her husband here while taking the traitor to the hospital, but she trusted her apprentice's judgment as she herself picked up the Sage and carried him to the hospital…,_

"Wow, I can't believe she did that!" Ino gasped as she saw the momentary look of hurt flash across Naruto's eyes before he passed out. She and her team had been on the other side of Konoha when the two shinobi had returned from their battles.

_"…Naruto, we've had this discussion before, and I still think it's inappropriate, especially considering the date," Sakura admonished as she put the finishing touches to the chocolate cake she had spent all day preparing. Naruto looked hurt as he continued to plead his case._

_"But Sakura, I'm not asking for much, you know? Just a cake and maybe a few of our friends over," Naruto asked as he watched his wife lovingly add decorations to the cake before her. Sakura just shook her head and turned back toward her husband of the past several years and looked him straight in the eye._

_"Look, baby, I know your birthday is October tenth, but that is the anniversary of the Kyuubi's attack. I don't think it's in good taste to have a birthday party on the same day as the Festival. Come on, Naruto, don't be selfish!" his wife scolded as she reached up and grabbed the lid to the cake carrier and placed it over the top of the cake she had just finished. Naruto gritted his teeth and looked down at the ground. "Now, be dressed and ready to go when I get back, okay?"_

_"Aw, come on, Sakura! You know how much I hate going to the festival! All the looks I get, all the names I'm called, all the weapons I have to dodge! It sucks!" the blonde growled. He normally stayed home or hid on the Hokage Monument whenever the Festival rolled round._

_"Look, I look forward to going to the festival every year! Everyone has a good time and it's the only time of the year I get to let my hair down! Just get ready and I'll be back in a little while!" Sakura barked as she picked up the cake carrier and began to head toward the front door._

_"Where are you going?" Naruto asked as he walked over and gave his wife a kiss on her cheek as she turned her head from the kiss._

_"I'm going to visit Sasuke and bring him this cake to cheer him up!" she replied happily as she stepped out the door and turned back to her husband, waving good-bye. Naruto looked hurt._

_"Wait a second, you can't even spend time with me on my birthday?" Naruto asked as he felt a lump form in his throat. He didn't ask for much, and he doted on her hand and foot, remembering all the little things and important dates. But his birthday was always crappy, and he really wanted his wife with him like in years past._

_"Naruto, don't be selfish! I'll make it up to you, baby! I promise…"_

"Yeah, I remember that night, too," Ino muttered. She hadn't seen either one of her friends at the festival and had wanted to wish Naruto a happy birthday. She first went to their house and realized that nobody was home, so she then knew where Naruto would be. After discovering her fellow blonde at the top of the Hokage monument, she walked up and surprised him with a small chocolate cake she had picked up for him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, wishing him a happy birthday. She later learned that he had waited at his home for several hours for his wife to arrive before going to his favorite spot. Sakura didn't show back up at home until well after midnight.

_"…Naruto, stop! I love him! Please don't kill him!! He's my baby's father!!!…"_

_"…I'm setting you free, Sakura, I'm setting you free…"_

"That fucking bitch!" Ino snarled as she placed the fragment in it's place and watched the largest amount of small pieces yet gather and reconnect to their parent. Her heart hurt with Naruto's pain, her chest felt like it was wanting to cave in. She had been upset with Sakura before, and extremely disappointed in her friend, but now she was beginning to verge on hate. All the little slights to her husband over the years was bad enough, but to finally betray him like she had after all the love he gave her was more than anyone could bear. Ino felt like sitting down on the floor and repeating what her friend had done. Unbeknownst to her, a little of her chakra had started to seep down into the seal on her belly. "I'm gonna make her pay!"

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"**I wonder what's going on with Blondie in there?**" Kyuubi rumbled as his head snapped up and looked back toward the void in which the mind-walker had stepped into. He felt the seal beginning to stir, and began to swish one tail back and forth as he worried about Ino.

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"Okay, only two pieces left," Ino muttered as she wiped the sweat from her brow. The mental exertion she was experiencing, as well as the emotional toll the memories were taking on her, had her on her last legs. After sitting and resting for a few minutes, she decided to save the clear gem for last and picked up the one that was glowing like a star. Her eyes widened to the size of plates and her mouth dropped open when the memory played before her.

This was a memory she could not intrude on for some reason, all she could do was watch from the outside. She felt some of the emotion involved, but her own emotions were going haywire right now, so perhaps it was for the best. Before her was a scene one would expect out of one of Naruto's novels, as she watched a pale, dark-haired beauty laying beneath the nude form of the blonde Toad Sage. Tears of pain and ecstasy poured from the eyes of the beautiful girl as she wrapped her legs around Naruto, drawing him deeper into her body, her arms locked around his neck as she matched her lover's rhythm.

"Oh my god," Ino gasped as she watched the scene play out before her eyes. She had always assumed that Naruto and Sakura both were virgins when they got together, but this memory plainly showed that he was not. She continued to watch, wondering who the girl was. She looked familiar, but she wasn't able to figure out who it was until the girls pale lavender eyes opened and she heard a soft, melodic voice call out.

_"I love you, Naruto!"_ she screamed as her body shook from a very intense release.

_"I love you too, Hinata!"_ Naruto whispered as his own body shook from his release. The two lovers collapsed together on the bed and snuggled up to one another as Ino watched, feeling her own heart breaking. A surge of chakra flowed to her seal.

"**You rang?**" a little chibi fox asked as it popped into existence beside Ino. The startled blonde jumped slightly at it sudden presence as she turned her head and looked at it. It was about a foot tall, red, and had nine little puffy tails waving behind it.

"Kyuubi?" she asked, her mind not quite ready to make the connection. A small frown covered it's face as it looked at Ino like she was an idiot.

"**Well, who else do you think would be in our favorite knucklehead's mind?**" Kyuubi asked sarcastically as he turned his attention to the scene before them, His eyes bugged out as he watched Naruto and Hinata cover themselves with his red battle-cloak before they began to engage in their intimate activities again. "**Damn, Blondie! I didn't think you were a pervert!**"

"Uh…uh…," stuttered Ino as her eyes became riveted on the couple that were holding onto one another tightly, "It's not that, I don't get off on that kinda crap! But this…this…is beautiful! You can see the love! This isn't just fucking! It's not just meaningless sex!" The fox just rolled it's eyes.

"**Please! It's just two monkeys copulating,**" Kyuubi snorted as he watched Naruto bite Hinata's neck, causing the pale Hyuga to gasp in ecstasy as her back arched upward, drawing her lover even closer. "**Although, I will admit, she was very beautiful, and she did help heal his heart after all the death he had seen on the day of Pein's attack. I think he helped her as well. Her heart was badly broken at all the kin she had lost.**"

"But…but…if he did that for her to help heal her…to make her feel better," Ino said sadly as she bit her lip and turned away from the memory, her eyes glistening with tears, "Then…uh *sniff*…why didn't he…uh…*sniff*…I mean…*sniff*…" For once, the Kyuubi's heart went out to someone else besides his jailor.

"**Look, Blondie**," the fox began, his cute little eyes expressing understanding and sympathy, "**He wasn't married at the time when he healed the Hyuga. Hell, he wasn't even dating the banshee yet! In fact, I always suspected that the only reason the Haruno ever asked Naruto out in the first place was because she got a whiff of what happened and was scared that her back-up was going to be taken. I can't prove it, and his love for her tainted my perceptions as well.**"

"He told her that he loved her," Ino sniffed as she began to watch the young couple again from the corner of her eye. She cringed when she heard Hinata cry out Naruto's name again. The young blonde's chest was heaving as she felt like she had been betrayed. She couldn't reconcile the emotions that were running through her. "I guess that means what he told…"

"**The kit loves a lot of people, mind-walker,**" Chibi-Kyuubi replied, trying not to get sick. Without Naruto's influence, he was beginning to revert back to his evil self, but a small part of him was fighting back. The notion of 'love' wasn't as sickening as once it was, but it was still close. "**Have you ever known him to lie to anyone, especially about something as important as love? From what I gather about you mortals, there are several different types of love.**"

"Yeah," murmured Ino as she contemplated what the fox was saying, "love of family, love of home, love of a spouse, love of good food, love of…"

"**A friend**," Kyuubi finished as they watched the rest of the memory. The two of them watched as Hinata and Naruto had a long talk the next day, before they embraced one another and parted ways. The smile of both of their faces was unmistakable. "**He loves his friends so much that he is willing to lay his life down for them. Is this not something that he would do for someone to help them out? He had nothing tying him to anyone else. If, however, he had done something like this when he was married, then he would have betrayed his wife and ended up hurting her and anyone else involved.**"

"And we know that Naruto would never purposely hurt anyone if he could help it…OH SHIT! That means…" she exclaimed as her eyes fly open wide as the sudden truth about her Hyuga friend struck her. "She always said that…"

"**Shush**," Kyuubi ordered quietly as he watched Ino's surprise grow by leaps and bounds, "**The kit knows nothing of that! If the Hyuga hasn't told him, there is a reason for it! She obviously didn't wish to harm him!**"

"But with everything that has happened, don't you think he should know?" Ino asked, but was dismayed when the fox shook his head.

"**Think about it, Blondie! If he was to find out now, after so long, how would he feel? What do you think he would do? Would she really want that?**" Kyuubi gently wrapped a few tails around Ino and helped to guide her toward the mind gem, Ino quickly shook her head and then set the miniature star in it's proper place. It quickly sealed itself and drew all the corresponding shards to it like moths to a flame. Turning around, they both looked to the remaining piece that had yet to be mated to the mother stone.

"So," Ino sighed as she stared at the clear crystal that lay before her feet. She made absolutely no move to pick it up.

"**So**," Kyuubi echoed before looking up at the young lady beside him. "**Do you wish for me to stay?**" Ino shook her head, her ponytail flying behind her.

"No, that's alright," replied the blonde as she willed herself to kneel down and look into the depths of the shard. "I think I know what, or who, this section deals with, but why would it be so clear? There is no darkness, nor any light."

"**Purity,**" the fox barked as he walked back toward the doorway, "**purity of thought, purity of memory, purity of heart. Everything there is pure in one sense or another. The Hyuga memory had special attachments, very special ones at that, thus it shone like a sun. The ones dealing with our…his mate were once like that, but darkness is quickly taking it over, it seems. Whatever you do, be careful with that! It's the last pure part of his mind, and I….hope…that something special can be attached as well!**" With that, the fox vanished into the darkness. Taking a deep breath, Ino picked up the stone and allowed the memories fill her and merge with her own…

_…Ino sat on top of the Hokage monument, her knees drawn up to her chest as she buried her head in her arms, trying so very hard to stop the pain and to hold off the cruel world that seemed to do nothing but hurt her. She sniffled as the sobs continued to ring out from her throat, her body heaving with the utter raw pain that she felt. Her entire world had just collapsed, and she felt as if there was nothing left for her._

_Steeling her resolve, she slowly reached into the weapons pouch that hung from her shapely hip, not caring as all the lethal instruments spilled upon the cold stone, just so long as a certain kunai fell into her palm. Feeling the familiar weight in her slender hand, she smiled grimly. This was her favorite kunai, one that her sensei, Asuma, had given to her on her birthday just prior to his death. It was perfectly balanced for throwing, and took and retained a razor's edge with little effort. It was colored purple, which had always baffled Ino as to how someone could color the steel without paints, which would chip off. This, however, was deeply ingrained in the steel, as was the inscription that he had engraved into it._

_"I'm sorry, sensei, I've failed you," she whispered sadly as her tears poured out and filled in the sunken letters. They said 'Never give up', which Ino had taken to heart ever since Asuma's death. That is, until this night. Looking out onto the scene of the Village Hidden in the Leaves as nighttime brought out the warm lights of the homes and the sounds of happy couples that walked along the serene streets, Ino swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat and swiftly flashed the tip of the honed blade across the wrist of her other arm._

_"It's okay, it'll be over soon," she whimpered as she felt her lifeblood slowly seep from the neat cut on her wrist. She mentally cursed herself, the cut wasn't as deep as it really needed to be. She was bleeding out, but much slower than she had planned. Her survival instinct must have had one last gasp, preventing her from properly doing her job._

_"God damn it, I can't do anything right," she sobbed as she looked at the cut as her kunai fell and clattered on the stone. Her tears began to fall once more as she silently said good-bye to her friends. "I'm sorry everyone, but I couldn't take it any more…Sakura, Hinata, Shika, Choji, Kiba…Naruto…"_

_"Ino?" a familiar voice called out from behind her. Her head snapped around at the sound of her fellow blonde's voice as she watched the Toad Sage of Konoha walk out from the tree line, heading in her direction._

_"Nar…Naruto?" she gasped as she watched him come closer and closer. Her heart sank at the sight of him, he was definitely not someone she wanted to see right now. The look on his face was one of confusion and concern._

_"Are you okay? I thought I heard crying and I can smell blood!" Naruto said as he closed in on her sitting form. She looked longingly at the tall blonde, knowing that deep inside, she was extremely jealous of her best friend._

_"Yeah, I'm okay, Naruto," Ino lied as she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and face, not realizing that she had used the wrong hand and had left a huge bloody streak across her face. Naruto's eyes grew huge as concern and panic for his friend began to set in his heart._

_"Oh shit! Ino, what happened to you?" he barked as he moved to her side and fell to his knees faster than she could blink. He quickly but gently grabbed her wrist and began to examine the damage. She gulped at the touch of his hand._

_"Oh, this? It's nothing, really! I just kinda…scratched myself!" she explained quickly, trying to wave off the incident to get him to leave her alone. Naruto, being the extremely stubborn knucklehead he was, refused to budge._

_"Scratched yourself?" he mimicked, his eyebrows rising into his hairline as his eyes fell upon the sight of the kunai that Ino had dropped. He noticed it was covered in blood, her own from the smell of it. "Oh Ino…you didn't, did you?"_

_"I…I….I," the kunoichi stuttered as she turned her head to keep from looking into the bright blue eyes of her friend. She was beginning to get woozy from the blood loss as she finally turned to face Naruto. She saw the worry and sadness in his eyes. She slowly nodded her head as she felt the world begin to spin._

_"Why," asked the Toad Sage as he reached out and inspected the damage to her wrist. Ino tried to pull her wrist back, but she quickly realized that she didn't have the strength to complete her action. She had done a better job than she had thought she had done._

_"You…you wouldn't understand," she muttered as she felt the dizziness try to take over her world. Naruto quickly reached out and placed his free hand on her cheek and turned her to face him, his bright blues totally dominating her pale blues. His heart broke when he saw the pain that resided within the beautiful kunoichi._

_"Try me," he replied softly as he felt Ino nuzzled her cheek into the palm of his hand. She whimpered when he moved his hand back down toward her wrist, for she had been enjoying the warmth._

_"It…it's Hiro," she whispered as the tears began to flow down her cheeks once more. Ino tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, but instead a small sob escaped, one that she had tried to keep her friend from hearing. "He…he broke up with me! After all the crap I went through to make him happy! I did everything to please him! Do you know how much that hurts? Hell, I even gave him…he took…oh god!"_

_"Shh, it's okay, Ino," Naruto soothed as the young kunoichi fell apart in front of his eyes. His heart went out to her as he reached out and took her in his arms, offering what little comfort he could, stroking her recently shorn hair and her back as she poured great torrents of tears upon his shoulder. He could feel the waves of pain that erupted from his friend, one who usually appeared so headstrong and self-assured but now was a broken mess. He had never liked Kurenai's cousin, Hiro Yuhi. The arrogant jerk thought he was God's gift to the world, and strutted around as such. Naruto had heard the rumors of how he like to treat women, and had seen for himself how he seemed to enjoy tearing Ino down to her very foundations. Anger grew within his chest as the thought of Hiro hurting Ino tore through his mind. He had to fight to control his breathing so that he could help Ino._

_"NO! It's not alright, Naruto!" Ino wailed into his shoulder before pulling back some and looking him in the eye. Her short blonde hair was a mess and her eyes were all red and puffy, tear tracks marring her perfect skin. Naruto could see nothing of the headstrong friend of his in the body before him. "You don't understand! I gave myself to him tonight! He kept after me for weeks to let him in my pants, and….and tonight he….he told me that if I loved him that I would sleep with him! And you know what, I did love him, so I did! I spread my legs for him! It hurt! It hurt so bad! But….but I did it to show him I loved him! Do you know what he did afterward? Do you know what he said?"_

_"What happened, Ino?" Naruto asked gently as he held onto her damaged wrist. The poor distraught kunoichi didn't even notice that he was slowly healing her wound, so engulfed in her own pain and misery as she was. He looked at her with deep caring and compassion in his eyes, which seemed to calm her just a bit, but not much._

_"He broke up with me afterward! The sorry son-of-a-bitch told me that getting fucked was all I was good for! He said that a sorry fat-ass like me was never meant to be in a serious relationship! Can you believe that? He pretty much told me that all I was good for was to be a whore!" she bawled as Naruto pulled her back into a hug again and gently rocked the broken girl in his arms._

_"Don't you dare believe him, you hear me? Ino, you are a wonderful and very beautiful woman, and any guy would be extremely lucky to have you loving him! Don't let the ravings of some egotistical jerk get you down, okay?" Naruto said as he continued to soothe his hurting friend. Ino continued to cry, but he felt her nod her head a little._

_"It's just not right, you know? I mean, I worked my ass off and dieted like crazy, and still I was too fat! I'm not good enough to be in a relationship with, but I'm good enough to screw? Oh God, I feel so damn dirty! I'm just a filthy whore!" Naruto reached up and grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her back once more, his bright blue eyes boring deep into her pale ones._

_"Listen here! Don't you ever say anything like that again, do you understand? You are not a whore! You're not filthy! You're damn sure not fat, if anything, you're too damn thin! And all because of that stupid bastard! You are a very beautiful and very strong woman, Ino Yamanaka! Now, you need to reach deep down and pull out that strength that I know you have! Hold you head up high! Don't let that bastard win! Don't let him see you like this or he will win! He'll think that he can swoop down into your life again and do to you what he did to you tonight anytime that he wants!" Ino's sobs slowed and eventually stopped as her jaw dropped at the Toad Sage's tirade. Slowly she nodded her head as she stayed locked into his gaze._

_"Why can't more guys be like you, Naruto?" she asked softly, not noticing the blush that lit up Naruto's cheeks. She slowly leaned back and wiped the tears from her face, noticing that the slice on her wrist was completely healed. She looked at her wrist incredulously and then back at her friend, who grinned his silly grin and scratched the back of his head. She was so jealous of Sakura right now._

_"You wouldn't want someone like me, Ino! I'm a messy, ramen-loving knucklehead! Trust me, there are much better guys out there than me! I just know that there is someone out there for you, believe it!" Ino snorted as he said that, not believing that she had just heard him say his catch phrase from back when they were kids. It had been so since she had heard that._

_"Easy for you to say, Naruto! You have someone at home waiting for you to get back!" Ino replied as she got up and walked back toward the edge of the Hokage Monument, her arms crossed under her breasts. She stared out over the silent village as the crush of loneliness began to fall upon her heart. "I have…nobody."_

_"That's bullshit, Ino! You have your family and your friends! You have Choji and Shikamaru! They're your best friends! You have Sakura and…INO!" barked Naruto as he moved faster than the speed of thought and caught the young woman as she began to collapse, the emotional drain and blood loss getting to her. He slowly spun her around and held her against his chest, he was ready to launch the two of them into the air and toward the Konoha Hospital until he felt her stir and look up at him._

_"And you, Naruto? Do I have you, too?" she asked sadly as she felt herself get lost in his bright blues. She knew it was wrong, but she was beginning to feel something for her blonde friend._

_"Of course you do, Ino. You have me, too," he replied gently as he gave a soft kiss on her forehead, causing what little blood she had left rush to her cheeks. "I love you."_

_Ino couldn't believe what she had just heard. Naruto Namikaze, her good friend and husband to one of her best friends, had just told her that he loved her. Her thoughts crashed all around her as she saw him lean forward to kiss her forehead again, but instead, Ino pulled herself up on her tiptoes and planted her lips upon his, causing Naruto's eyes to go wide as Ino lost herself in the kiss. After a second or so, Naruto closed his eyes and kissed her back, causing Ino's knees to go weak as she drank in his scent and taste. After what seemed like forever for the kunoichi, the two finally broke the kiss as she sighed softly and relaxed in his arms._

_"Ino…" Naruto began before she slowly lifted one finger and placed it on his lips, effectively silencing him._

_"No, it's okay! I'm sorry, I just had to…I needed to know what it felt like to be truly loved, I'm sorry…," she whispered before her eyes rolled back into her head as she passed out in his arms. Stunned and worried for his friend, he quickly scooped her up in his arms and leapt off the Monument and made his way to the hospital as quickly as he could…_

…."I felt like such an idiot the next day," Ino whispered as Naruto's memories of her continued to flood her mind. She walked over to the mother gem and slowly placed the pure stone within it's matrix. "I should have known he meant he loved me as a friend. I felt so scared that the kiss had screwed up our friendship, but he never let on about it anyone. He never even told anyone of my suicide attempt. He never treated me any different, we were never uncomfortable around each other. It was our secret."

**"That's just the way the kit is,"** Chibi-Kyuubi replied as he reappeared next to the blonde once more. **"He would never do anything to hurt a friend, nor would he ever embarrass someone about something like that. He knew you needed that kiss and the comfort it provided, so he didn't mind."**

"If he was single, and I had asked him to make love to me…" Ino mused innocently, causing the Fox to smile.

**"He would have in a heartbeat, and he would have showed you the way a real man properly treats a woman!"** Kyuubi replied, enjoying the blush on Ino's cheeks.

"Did he ever think of the kiss after that, Foxy?" Ino asked with a smirk on her face, wondering what the demon would tell her. He just continued to grin his foxy grin.

**"Sometimes, but in other times, like in his dreams…well, let's just say that some of them were hotter than hell!"** Kyuubi barked as he watched her face light up like a red Christmas bulb. **"Did you ever find out what happened to that bastard, Hiro?"**

"No, nobody ever said anything about him after a while," she replied as she watched the gem heal itself then throw bright sparklers across the black velvet of the mindscape. The Starlight Path brightened once more as the stars began to take their proper places within his mind. Ino stared in wonder at the beauty before her eyes.

"**Well, Blondie, let's just say…it wasn't pretty! The Kit can get downright vicious when he needs to be!"** laughed the Fox as he wrapped his tails around the young Yamanaka and guided her back toward the entrance of the Path, **"Now, come on! Let's get out of this stinking place and back to my nice cozy sewer! I don't think I can take much more of this!"**

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Ino stepped out of the doorway and back into the Kyuubi's cage, and as she did so, she noticed that the Chibi-Kyuubi that had been in there with her transformed back into one of the Kyuubi's tails. Shaking her head, she followed the tail back over to where the Demon Fox sat conversing with someone she recognized immediately.

"Naruto!" she screamed as she ran toward her friend and launched herself into his arms. Naruto chuckled as he held onto the happy blonde.

"Well, at least someone is happy to see me," he chuckled as he held the young blonde tight, causing Ino's heart to begin to race. After all she had seen and been through, she felt so much closer to her friend.

"God, I thought I lost you!" she murmured as she held onto Naruto with a vise-like hug. Naruto continued to chuckle as he reached up and stroked her hair.

"I'm just glad you're okay! Nobody else should have seen and felt all that! It was bad enough when the furball here forced your father to endure it!" Naruto replied as he shot a glare at the Kyuubi. Said fox merely shrugged it's shoulders as it stood up and began to walk back toward the darkest corner of it's cage.

"You really scared the hell outta me, you know?" she admonished softly as she leaned back and looked deep into his eyes. Sadness and concern flooded his normally bright blue orbs.

"I know, and I'm really sorry," he apologized as he bent forward just like that night several years back and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. Before Ino could protest at the location of the kiss, Naruto smiled and stepped back out of the hug and waved at her. "I'll see you soon, Tigger!"

"Huh? What do you mean…" but before the blonde kunoichi could finish her sentence, her world went dark as she was expelled from Naruto's mind…

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…"Oww," Ino muttered as she picked herself off of the floor where her body had fallen after she had used her family's mind jutsu on Naruto. She had managed to bruise one of her elbows, twisted a knee, and gave herself a nice sized lump on the side of her head for her troubles. It took a minute or two for the disorientation of the jutsu to wear off as she stumbled over to the chair she had become quite familiar with over the weeks since Naruto had been assigned to the room. Suddenly, the images she had absorbed from Naruto's mind came flooding back with a vengeance, causing her eyes to widen as the horrors she had experienced tore at her heart. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed on to the side rail of Naruto's bed with a grip that would have made Tsunade proud. After a few moments, she regained control of her heartbeat and breathing as she gazed upon the still visage of the Toad Sage.

"Oh God, what did they do to you, baby?" she asked softly as she reached out and stroked his whiskered cheek. Her hand jerked back in reflex as a strange purring sound emanated from his chest. "Naruto?"

"Ino…," a hoarse voice rasped softly as bright blue eyes cracked open just the tiniest amount. Ino's face brightened as the first smile she had smiled in weeks crept upon her pale face. Her friend was waking up.

"Naruto!!" she squealed as she bent over the bed and gave him a huge hug, as well as an unintentional free-show. However, in the state he was currently in, he didn't notice. Much.

"Yeah, it's me, Ino," he croaked as he struggled to breath under the crush of her embrace. "Who else would it be?" This caused to the young kunoichi to stand back up and glance down at her friend, noticing that he was trying his best to smile back at her.

"Lord, you had me so worried!" she exclaimed as she walked over to a nearby table and poured him a small glass of water to help relax his voice and soothe his throat. As she stepped back toward the side of his bed, she noticed that he was looking at her strangely. "What?"

"You look like crap," he muttered as he watched her jaw drop to the floor. Sure, she knew that her hair was stringy and unkempt, she knew she was pale and had dark circles around her eyes. She knew that she had tear stains on her cheeks and that she was wearing her least attractive clothes, which happened to be the sweats that Naruto had given her so long ago. Then, she remembered that she was talking to Naruto Namikaze, and smirked when she saw the foxy grin of his slowly spread across his face.

"And just who's fault is that, asshole?" she shot back as she crossed her arms under her breasts, making sure to hold his glass of water to the side just to where he could see it. "Besides, you look like you were hit by a shit-truck!"

"That's it, blame the guy in the hospital bed," he joked hoarsely before he began to cough. Ino quickly rushed back over to his side and helped him sit up some to take a few small sips of water. Afterward, he settled back down and looked up to see fresh tears in her eyes. "Hey, no tears now, okay? A beautiful woman like you should never have to cry, especially over some stupid bastard like me! Got it?"

"Jerk," she replied playfully as she hit him softly on the arm before she reached up to wipe away the tears that had formed over her concern for her friend. She was sure a few happy tears were thrown in with the mix, for good measure. She smiled when she hear him chuckle softly. It was then that a small commotion was heard outside the door. Ino quickly stood up from sitting on Naruto's bed when she first saw Iruka walk in, followed closely by Sasuke and Sakura. Ino saw red, literally.

"YOU BITCH!!!" she screamed, causing the all three newcomers to jump in surprise as Ino reached behind her and pulled a certain purple kunai free from it's holster in the small of her back…

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_**A/N**__: I know, I know, I'm still a rat-bastard! Heh! I'm sorry it's taken me a while to get this new chapter out, but this was a difficult one to put together. It touched on several themes that had to be handled carefully, and I wanted to make it as tasteful as possible. Plus, I've been working on the newest chapters of 'Father' and 'Music of the Night' at the same time as this. I hope to get the next chapter of 'Father' out sometime this weekend. Let me know whatcha think! Later!- Lord Talon _


	11. Chapter 11

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 11

"Are you sure you're ready to take another go at Naruto's mind?" Tsunade asked, concern for her adopted grandson clearly evident in her voice. Inochi's heart went out to the Hokage, knowing full well how close lady Tsunade was to the Toad Sage. "I don't want to lose you if the Fox gets out of hand!"

"I'm sure, Lady Hokage," Inochi reassured as his mind wondered back to the day he had dove into Naruto's mind, and of all the things he had learned about the young shinobi. His heart still ached when he thought about what had happened to his daughter, right under his nose, and how Naruto had shown her enough love and friendship to pull her through those tough times. "I feel that the sooner we can get to the heart of the matter, the better his chances are. The longer he stays in this coma, the worse the odds are of him coming back without some significant damage."

"He's been damaged for a long time, Inochi," Tsunade whispered as she took a sudden interest in the tiles of the floor that they were walking on. The head of the Yamanaka clan nodded his head in agreement.

"Longer than you think, Lady Hokage. Some of the things I saw…well, you have my report. I'm surprised that something like this hasn't happened before," he replied, trying to keep the images from the tortured youth's past from flooding his mind once more. Tsunade nodded her head sadly. She opened her mouth to respond when a commotion further down the hall drew her attention.

"What the hell is going on?" she muttered as she and her subordinate began to barrel down the hallway, realizing that the ruckus seemed to be coming from the direction of Naruto's room. As they drew up to the door, they saw Iruka's wife, Ayame, standing outside, holding on to Sakura's baby as well as watching over little Ruto. "Ayame! What's going on?!"

"I don't know, Lady Hokage! Iruka just took the Haruno and the Uchiha in there, then all…heck… broke loose! " she replied, doing her best to calm the crying baby, as well as keeping her own child from wondering off.

"Wait a second! You mean Sakura and Sasuke are in there right now? With Naruto?" Tsunade barked, her eyes wide. Suddenly, a loud shout caused Inochi to bolt through the door into the room…

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…"You fucking slut!" Ino bellowed, her eyes wild as Iruka held her pinned against the furthest wall of Naruto's room. Inochi stopped short when he saw this, then turned to see Sasuke doubled over in pain and Sakura crumpled on the floor, holding her rapidly bruising cheek. Ino's special kunai was buried in the wall just above Sakura's head. "You goddamn whore! I'm gonna kill you! Let me go, Iruka!!"

"No way, Ino!" Iruka said through gritted teeth, doing his best to secure her hands and avoid her dangerous knees. If he wasn't so busy trying to keep the young kunoichi from making a grave mistake, he would have been laughing his ass off at how easily the Uchiha had fallen to Ino's Killer Knees. As it was, he was just barely able to divert the path of Ino's kunai. If he hadn't, Sakura would have had a splitting headache, literally. "I'm not going to let you do something stupid! Think about Naruto! Do you think that he would want you in trouble for avenging him?"

"You don't understand, Iruka! You don't know had badly those two….two…. assholes have hurt Naruto!" Ino screeched as she continued to fight to get past her former teacher. She watched as Sakura slowly struggled to get back on her feet.

"Just what is your problem, Ino?!" Sakura moaned as she finally regained her feet, though her lover was still doubled over and turning a very interesting shade of green. "I came here to talk to my husband and to see if we can work this mess out!"

"WHAT?!" Ino bellowed, redoubling her effort to get at her former friend. "He's not your husband anymore, bitch! You gave that up when you spread your legs for that bastard!" Sakura was about to respond when Inochi flew across the room and grabbed Ino from Iruka's grasp. Gripping her head in his hands, Inochi forced his daughter to looking him in the eyes.

"Ino! INO!" Inochi shouted as he stared into the wild eyes of his only daughter. The rage and madness within was hauntingly familiar to him. "Ino! You didn't, did you?"

Sakura grunted as she shook her head and went to look after her lover.

"Of course she did! She attacked us out of the blue! She actually attacked fellow Leaf nin! Lady Tsunade is going to have her arrested when she finds out!" Sakura growled as she formed healing chakra around her hands and applied it to Sasuke's nether regions.

"Wanna bet, Sakura?" Tsunade responded quietly as she stood within the doorway, having heard what the pink-haired kunoichi had said. Sakura jumped at the sound of her masters voice.

"Lady Tsunade! Look what Ino did! She attacked us for no reason!" Sakura whined as she continued to heal Sasuke. Tsunade glared at her apprentice as she clinched her fist so tight that he knuckles cracked, causing Sakura to go pale and visibly gulp.

"NO REASON?!" bellowed Ino as she tried to get past her father who continued to hold her pinned to the wall. "You fucking bitch! You two are the reason he's in the hospital! I'm gonna fucking kill you!!"

"Inochi, what's wrong with Ino?" Tsunade asked as she stood between the two blondes and the injured couple behind her. She was concerned for the young kunoichi, she knew that Ino could be hotheaded at times, but she never thought that the young Yamanaka would ever attack her former friend.

"I'm not sure, Lady Hokage!" he explained as he turned back to his daughter. "Ino, look at me! What happened? Did you do what I think you did?" His daughter looked back at him with horror in her eyes.

"Daddy, I saw it! I saw IT!" she whispered as the memories of her mind walk began to overwhelm her once more. "What they did to him...it wasn't right! They hurt him so badly…God, they hurt him so badly! They took his whole world away from him, and they don't seem to understand that! Just look at the fuckers! They just walked in like they owned the place!"

"Oh God," Inochi muttered as he shook his head, causing his long ponytail to flail behind him. "You did it. You actually did it!"

"Inochi…" Tsunade began, only to be cut of by the shinobi.

"She dove into his mind, Lady Hokage!" he replied as his eyes began to glow slightly, locking onto Ino's, which started to glow as well. After a few tense seconds, the glow dissipated as Ino visibly relaxed and slumped into her father's arms. Inochi gently guided her over to the chair next to Naruto's bed and had her sit there. "She was overwhelmed by the intensity of Naruto's memories and emotions. She must have dove really, really deep!"

"What the hell does that mean?" Sasuke gasped as the color slowly began to return to his face. Sakura finished her job and then stood back up and turned a hard glare toward the blonde slumped over in the chair.

"That means, Uchiha, that Ino wasn't in control of her actions," Tsunade replied as she stepped forward and checked up on Ino and Naruto both. Tsunade was more than pleased to see that Ino was alright after her escapade within Naruto's mind as well as her tirade against the adulterous pair. It was her checkup on Naruto that really caused her heart to soar.

"Hey Grandma," the blonde in the bed croaked as he opened his eyes slightly and looked on the worried face of his adopted Grandmother. Tsunade felt her heart beat harder as bright blue eyes stared back up at her.

"Naruto?" she whispered, not hoping to believe that her child had finally come out of his self-induced slumber. She didn't want the heartache of knowing that this was just some sort of cruel dream. All doubts faded as he tried his best to plaster his foxy smile on his face. Tsunade smirked as she felt a small stinging begin behind her eyes, but being the tough Hokage that she was, she suppressed the desire to weep. "About time you woke up, brat!"

"Yeah, well, I kinda had a boo-boo," he whispered hoarsely before he began to cough again. This quickly stirred Ino from her stupor as she snapped back to reality and quickly stood and helped the stricken Sage with some more water. Once he calmed back down, he gave the young woman a warm smile. Ino felt her cheeks go warm as she placed the cup back on the side table and took her seat next to Naruto. Sakura wasn't too pleased to see how the two were interacting.

"Naruto, just what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you in the hospital?" Sakura barked as she took several steps toward her ex-husband, before Iruka and Tsunade turned and stepped between the two. Sakura's face contorted with annoyance at being stopped. "We really need to talk, as a family!"

"He's here because of you, bitch!" Ino seethed as she felt the anger begin to build back up within her.

"Shut up, Pig! This is between me and my husband, you have no say in the matter!" The pink-haired adulteress spat back. "Just what the hell are you doing here, anyway?"

"She's the one who woke your ex-husband from his coma," Inochi replied through gritted teeth. It was bad enough that his daughter had gone behind his back and pieced her friend's mind back together, but to hear the Haruno insult his daughter for helping Naruto was enough to ignite his own slow-burning temper. "I think that should make you happy, Ms. Haruno!"

"Coma?" Sasuke grunted, wondering what had happened to his one-time best friend. All this time, he had figured that Naruto had gone off somewhere to sulk. He was really beginning to feel like an ass for thinking so. Sakura, on the other hand, was still rather upset.

"What are you talking about? Everyone knows that the Fox heals Naruto up so quickly that he never falls into a coma!" Sakura barked back. She was angry and was going to let everyone know about. The emotional rollercoaster she had been on these past weeks was caused directly by Naruto and she wanted answers. "Whatever happened, I'm sure he's been in here just faking! He's always wanted attention and it just seems that this is another way to get it!"

The room went silent as Killer Intent flooded the confined space, all of it directed squarely at Naruto's former wife. Had Sasuke been a lesser man, he would have taken several steps back and placed as much room between he and his lover as possible. However, the Uchiha swallowed past the lump in his throat, stepped forward and stood side-by-side with Sakura. Iruka, Tsunade, and Inochi glared daggers into the pair and bit back what they really wanted to say. The youngest Yamanaka had no qualms about speaking her mind, however.

"Faking?! You actually think he was faking it, you stupid whore?! You really don't know what happened to him, do you? I was there, Sakura! I was the one who pulled him out of the house, I was the one who saw him covered in b-blood, m-me and Shikamaru w-were the one's who got him to the hospital in time! Tsunade worked her ass off to keep him from d-dying! Try to think how hard it was for her to have to work on somebody she considers family when she knew what had happened! Faking?!" Ino bellowed as tears began to fall once more as the memories of that night tore at her heart. Naruto closed his eyes and felt horrible, not knowing how much crap he had put his friends and family through.

"Just what are you talking about, Ino?" Sakura asked, getting a little worried and confused. Ino wasn't one to make up stories, but she still wasn't making any sense. She and Sasuke looked at Tsunade expectantly, and were shocked to see tears in the Hokage's eyes.

"Naruto tried to kill himself the night after you had your baby, Sakura," Tsunade explained softly, causing Sakura and Sasuke to go deathly pale.

"The two of you took away his only reasons for living, Forehead! He was hurting so much…he was in so much pain…he stabbed…he….he…," Ino began to sob, until a calloused hand reached out from under the covers and gently took her own.

"I'm sorry, Ino," Naruto muttered softly, doing what he could to ease the pain he had caused his friend. Ino looked back down on him and gave him a small smile as she reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. Across the room, Sakura and Sasuke froze as all the color drained from their faces.

"He...he what?" Sakura gasped as she felt her heart drop from her chest and straight to the ground. Despite all that had happened, she and Naruto had been married for five years and she still cared very deeply for him. She couldn't believe what she had just been told, but the small nod she got from both Iruka and Tsunade confirmed it for her.

"That's a load of bullshit, right?" Sasuke asked, his onyx eyes wide in shock. "I mean, come on! Naruto never gives up! It….it…it had to be a training accident, right? That's it! He just over did his training like he always does…right?" Naruto's eyes were downcast and refused to look at anyone within the room. Ino gently rubbed his hand, letting know that everything was alright.

"It's not bullshit, Uchiha!" Tsunade snarled as her knuckles continued to crack. "I repaired just under twenty self-inflicted knife wounds that night! I hope you two are happy at the damage you caused!" Tears began to run down Sakura's face as a loud sob escaped her lips.

If there was any doubt as to where her true affections lie, they were quickly put to rest when, instead of running over to her ex-husband and begging for forgiveness, she turned instead to her lover and buried her face in his chest. Sasuke turned even more pale and began to shake as he wrapped his arms around his lady. He had never meant to cause his best friend so much pain.

Sakura's sob tore at Naruto's heart, and as he glanced up, his heart shattered once more. He watched as the woman he loved found comfort in the arms of another man. He might have divorced her for her adultery, but he still loved her with all his heart. At least, until now. He closed his eyes tightly, turning his head so that no one in the room could se his pain and his shame. Tears rolled down whiskered cheeks as the pain rolled over him once again, fresh and new.

Unknown to him, a small flair of chakra flew between the seal on his belly and connected to the small one on Ino's, causing the young kunoichi to gasp in surprise. She felt the sudden surge of heartache and pain coming from the Toad Sage, and quickly rushed to comfort him. She leapt up, still holding his hand, and placed her other hand on cheek and turned his head so he would face her. The pain she saw in those once bright blue eyes nearly killed her, so deep that it was.

"Shh, it's okay Naruto, it's okay," she soothed as she watched him fight a losing battle with the overwhelming despair his former wife had thrust upon him. Her tears matching his own, she placed their entwined hands upon her chest, clutching his hand tightly in a desperate attempt to send all of her strength to him. He gave her a grateful smile, which Sakura didn't fail to notice.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Ino? Get your hands off of my husband!" Sakura barked, her sorrow quickly overshadowed by anger at the sight of her best friend comforting her ex-husband.

"He's not your husband anymore, Sakura, you know that," Tsunade replied, not being able to believe the way her apprentice was behaving. " I approved the divorce on grounds of adultery, which you have proven time and time again! You need to get over it, you can't have your EX-husband and you lover at the same time!" Sakura bit back a retort, knowing that it wasn't wise to pick a fight with her master. She would lose, and lose badly. Instead, she chose another tact.

"If everyone will excuse us, Naruto and I need to have a family discussion," the pink-haired medic announced, still holding onto Sasuke so that he would stay behind. Tsunade and Iruka had murder in their eyes, but before either could do anything, a raspy voice called out.

"It's alright, Grandma, Iruka-sensei, Mr. Yamanaka. I guess we do need to talk some," Naruto wheezed. His wounds were healing much faster now, but he was still incredibly weak. The three older shinobi looked at him questioningly before nodding their heads and turning to leave, shooting the pair of lovers death glares as they went. Ino turned to leave as well, but Naruto's hand refused to leave hers.

"Please stay," he whispered softly, his eyes pleading with her. Biting her lip, she nodded her head and sat back down beside him. Sakura wasn't pleased at all.

"Why is she staying?" Sakura grumped, pointing a finger at the blonde kunoichi who sat next to Naruto. Naruto sighed as he gripped Ino's hand for support.

"What do you want, Sakura?" Naruto asked, his voice lacking any signs of life. It hurt Ino badly to hear the once lively knucklehead sound so dead. Sakura seemed a bit taken aback by it, and as she debated on what to say next, she went for an obvious delaying tactic.

"Please, Naruto," Sakura began, her face somewhat flush with embarrassment, "Does she really have to be here? This really is a private matter!" The pink-haired kunoichi was hoping beyond hope that Naruto would dismiss their friend. She just knew that if she could get Naruto alone, then she could get him to do whatever she wanted, just like in the past.

"Then why is _he_ staying?" Naruto coughed, prompting Ino to pat his chest and give him some more water. Sakura blushed even more before she answered.

"Well, you know…he's involved, too," she replied, causing the two blondes to roll their eyes. Sasuke was trying to look as invisible as possible.

"Then Ino is staying as well," her ex-husband answered back. Sakura grimaced and realized that she faced a desperate, uphill battle.

"But…" Sakura began, just to be cut off.

"What do you want, Sakura?" Naruto asked once more. His ex-wife glanced around the room for a few seconds, doing her best to choose her words carefully. Finally, she sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I want you to quit acting this way! I want things to go back to the way that they were before all this happened! I want to come home! I'm sorry that we hurt you, but you threw me and the baby out in the street…" Naruto cut her off once more.

"No, I didn't," he replied weakly, wanting nothing more than to close his eyes and rest. "I would never do that! I left you two a house and more than enough cash for the two of you to live comfortably for the rest of your lives. I sent all your stuff over to the bastard's house, where I knew you would run the first chance you got!"

"Naruto, you need to stop acting so selfish! Please, I want to come back home, can't we work this out?" Sakura asked, her green eyes doing their best to enchant the blonde Sage. It didn't work.

"Tell me, Sakura, have you moved into the place I gave you, or are you sharing the Uchiha's bed?" Naruto asked in reply, only to have the blush on his ex-wife's face tell him the truth. "You no longer have a home with me, Sakura! Obviously, your home is with the bastard!"

"Enough of this, Naruto! I want you to go to Lady Tsunade and tell her you made a mistake and that you want the divorce decree thrown out! You're my husband, damn it, and I plan on moving back into the estate starting tomorrow! Do you understand me?!" Sakura barked, surprising Sasuke. However, Sakura knew that she went too far from the glares she received from the pair of blondes.

"Don't you dare talk to him like that, bitch!" Ino yelled as she leapt to her feet to inflict further damage on her former best friend. The only thing that stopped her was the grip Naruto had on her hand.

"Shut up, Ino!! This is none of your business!" Sakura yelled back, being restrained from attacking Ino by Sasuke. This started a shouting match for several minutes that was only halted by a horrible coughing from the Toad Sage.

"Tell me, Sakura, do you love me? Or are you just upset that you got caught and were thrown out?" Naruto wheezed. He was losing strength, fast.

"Yes, I still love you, despite all this foolishness! You're my husband, after all!" she replied curtly. Ino's eyes narrowed at Sakura's tone.

"More than him? Would you be willing to be faithful to me, as my wife, and give up on the Uchiha?" Naruto asked. Sakura flinched and then looked down at the floor, refusing to meet his eyes. Naruto sighed. "I see. You've made your choice. Live with it."

"Please, Naruto," the medic begged, " I want us to be together! I want us to be a family again…"

"I don't have a family," Naruto muttered, wishing he had a kunai in his hand so he could stop the pain he was feeling. "You two took that from me."

"Look, Naruto, you're my husband, and you can be an idiot, so I don't think you understand. What Sasuke and I do is none of your concern. It's what I chose to do on my time with my time! It's _my_ time, can't you understand? It's something I do for _me_, and not for anyone else! It's not family time, it's something that _I do for myself_! The life of a shinobi can be too damn short to not do the things that you want to do! Now, if you're too damn selfish to understand that, then you're beyond reason!" The two blondes in the room just stared at her like she had just grown a second head right before their eyes.

"Okay then, Sakura, let's use your argument, shall we? Let's say that I found someone who caught my eye. Someone like, I don't know…Hinata, for instance," Naruto wheezed, a little startled from the sudden cough from Ino. "If I wanted to have an affair with her, it would be okay because it's on my time, and because the life of a shinobi is too damn short, right?"

"WRONG!" Sakura barked as her anger flared, " I would kill the bitch! You're my husband, and your time is MY time! Why, do you want to fuck the little whore?!"

"_Too late_," Ino thought to herself as she kept her eyes locked on the floor tiles. Somewhere off in the distance, she could swear she heard the Kyuubi laughing.

"It's just an example, Sakura! Listen to what you just said! You keep calling me selfish, but you keep calling me _your_ husband, but you flinch when I call you _my_ wife! You say that you're going to do what _you_ want to do with _your_ time, but I can't because _my_ time is _your_ time! You don't have more rights than your partner does in a marriage! God, and you call me selfish!" replied Naruto before coughing hoarsely, feeling weaker by the second.

"You just don't understand, Naruto," she responded softly, shaking her head sadly. Ino looked like she wanted to beat the crap out of her former friend.

"No, I understand really well, Sakura," Naruto gasped, "You want the security of a marriage and husband, and the thrill of a secret lover. You can't have both, Sakura! Life just doesn't work that way!"

"Naruto…" Sakura murmured, but the Sage cut her off.

"No, it's over, Sakura. I do want to know something though. That night, on my birthday when you made that cake for him and left me alone all night long…did you two…?" Naruto asked, dreading the answer when the two lovers blushed.

"Uh…yeah, it was our first time together," Sasuke answered. Ino felt the icy pit form in Naruto's stomach as his heart took another hit.

"Ah…I see," Naruto bit his lower lip to try to control his emotions. He felt the Kyuubi's anger beginning to build within him, which was doing nothing but making him feel weaker. Ino felt it too, and imagined a rolled-up newspaper smacking the Fox on his nose. The feelings quickly subsided. "Well, you keep saying I'm selfish, but I divorced you so that you and the baby were free to start a new life with Sasuke. I set you free, Sakura, it's my last gift to you."

"Naruto? Please?" Sakura begged one more time, only to be answered by a shake of Naruto's head. Tears and sobs exploded from the medic as she sought comfort in Sasuke's arms. He wrapped himself around her and began to speak softly to her.

"It's okay, my little blossom, it's okay." Naruto's eyes grew wide, as did those of the kunoichi beside him. The two of them remembered how, after making love for the very first time, Naruto had called Sakura by that nickname. She had giggled and told him that he was the only one allowed to call her that.

"Sorry about that, it's just something she asked me to call her when we first started…uh…seeing each other," Sasuke apologized when he saw the startled looks on both blondes' faces. He and Sakura turned to leave when Naruto called out one more time.

"The baby? How is he doing?" he asked softly. Sakura turned her head to answer back over her shoulder.

"He's okay. A little fussy most of the time, but he's doing well. He just turned six weeks old yesterday," she replied as the two left the room, leaving a heartbroken Naruto.

"Six weeks?" he murmured, turning to Ino to get confirmation. She nodded her head sadly and watched as he turned his face away from her. She grew concerned when after several seconds, she noticed his chest heaving badly. Reaching out, she touched his cheeks and pulled her hand back. It was coated in tears.

"Naruto? Baby, are you okay?" she asked as she stood up from her chair and went around the bed to check up on him since he refused to answer. Her heart broke at the sight of his damp face, tears rolling down his cheeks one after another. Her tears began to match his.

"I'm not crying! Men aren't supposed to cry! Shinobi aren't allowed to cry! I'm not supposed to cry!" he kept muttering to himself before the dam burst and great sobs escaped from deep within his being. He hadn't been awake for more than a few minutes when his ex-wife came in and ripped his heart to shreds once again. The Fox within him, synched up with his emotions once more, began to howl in sorrow, his great beastly heart tearing in two. It was more than any being could take.

"Oh, Naruto," Ino sighed as she gently crawled into the bed behind the great Sage and held him gently as he poured out all his pain and sorrow. After all the times he had held her after some jerk had broken her heart, it was the least she could do. Eventually, the sobs died down as Naruto fell into a deep sleep. Ino soon joined him and that was how Tsunade found them the next morning, curled up in one another's arms.


	12. Chapter 12

-1To Live is So Much Harder….

Chapter 12

"I'm so glad that your mother was able to watch the baby tonight," Sasuke remarked as he and his live-in girlfriend walked down the street on the warm, late spring night.

"Yeah, me too! She seems to like the idea of you and I being together, she just loves to brag to her friends about being the grandmother of the Uchiha heir," Sakura agreed as she snuggled closer to her lover. It had been three days since they had discovered what had happened to Naruto, and they really needed the release of a night out. "She was never that excited when she thought Naruto was his father."

"That's sad," Sasuke murmured as he shook his head slowly, "I mean, you guys were together for six years, counting when you two dated. You would think that she would have had a better opinion of Naruto. From what you told me, he was the model son-in-law."

"I know, he tried so hard to get Mom to like him," Sakura replied as the shade of gloom that had overtaken them the three days prior began to raise it's ugly head once more. She sighed as she tried to change the subject from her former husband. "I just glad Iruka-sensei agreed to let you have the night off! So, how did you mission go today? What was it?"

"Uh, well, Team Thirteen and I had to go to your…the Namikaze estate and clean it up. I'm telling you, Blossom, I've seen plenty of blood in battle, but I have never seen so much in one place! I'm surprised he survived it!" Sasuke suppressed a shudder at the thought of so much of his former best friend's blood being spilt. He was so involved in his conversation with the pink-haired medic that he failed to notice a dark shadow slide through the shrubbery that bordered the street.

"Was it really that bad?" she whispered softly. It was still so hard to believe that Naruto had done that to himself. That she had driven him to do so.

"Worse than you can imagine! It was like someone had tossed several full cans of dark red paint everywhere in the room! That and the trail that lead out the door…I didn't know that a human had that much blood in them!" Sasuke shook his head. That horrible feeling was beginning to crawl back into his stomach. "After cleaning it all up, we had to re-paint the room and repair the bedroom door that had gotten smashed."

"The bedroom door?" Sakura asked, somewhat puzzled, "Then what room did he…?"

"The nursery," The Uchiha lord replied sadly. Despite everything, he had never meant to hurt his friend so badly.

"Oh," was her response before shaking her head and trying to get in a better mood. "So, where are we going tonight?"

"I'm taking you to the movies, then maybe to that new club we saw last week. If you feel up to it, that is," Sasuke answered, picking up on his girlfriend's mood.

"What's playing?" the pink-haired kunoichi asked, then paused for a second. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as the smallest amount of Killer Intent was directed at her.

"The newest Princess Yukie movie is out right now, or we can catch the new foreign film about that guy with the pointed ears and funny wings. I can't seem to remember what it's called though," Sasuke's face twisted in an attempt to recall the strange name.

"_Fledermausmann_! That sounds good, and I've been wanting to see that one! With a strange name like that, we might have a good laugh or two!" she replied as she snuggled closer to her boyfriend, the strange feeling from earlier completely forgotten. "Are you sure you don't mind me and the baby completely moving in with you?"

"No, Blossom, I don't mind. It was going to happen eventually, so we might as well do it now," he said quietly, looking around to see if anyone was within earshot. If he had opened his other senses, he might have felt the presence of a dark clad figure that hung upside-down from a nearby tree. "You know that once Naruto had figured out that the little one wasn't his, he would have divorced you anyway."

"You sure your not angry with me over what I said the other day? I mean, I do love you more than I loved him, it's just that…" she began, hoping that she hadn't hurt her lover.

"You weren't ready to leave just yet. I understand, Sakura! You always were someone that wanted to do things at your pace and at your own schedule. I know that you love me, and wanted to be with me more than you wished to be with him, but you didn't have time to set everything like you wanted it to be. It was suddenly thrust upon you. Sometimes, even the best plans go awry." he finished as he looked down at the sidewalk. His onyx eyes were troubled. He and Sakura had messed a lot of things up lately.

"I…I just wanted to ease into it, you know? I was hoping that over time, I would have everything in place, and we could break it to him gently. But you're right, sometimes plans just don't work out," she concluded, matching his gaze on the sidewalk beneath their feet.

"So, have you decided what you're going to do with the house?" Sasuke wondered. He was beginning to think that it might make a good safehouse in case anything went to hell-in-a-hand-basket. Or it could be a good place to stay if they wanted to spent some quality time together without anyone in the village knowing where they were.

"Not yet. Come on, let's hurry up and get there! I want good seats!" Sakura chirped as she and Sasuke began to pick up their pace. Unbeknownst to either of them, a streak of black blurred past them and rounded the corner. A figure in black quickly hid behind the tallest set of shrubs on the opposite side of the street that the young lovers were walking down.

Ino Yamanaka was covered in black, head-to-toe. The only way you could tell it was her was from the cornflower-blue eyes that could be seen through the opening in her mask. Over the past three days, she had plotted and planned the best way to punish the adulterous couple that she was currently stalking. She spotted her targets as they happily strolled down the other side of the street, oblivious to they danger that they were walking toward. Grinning like a shark, she started a series of hand signs until she felt a heavy hand fall upon her shoulder.

"Ino," a voice called beside her , startling the young blonde and causing her to spin and confront the intruder. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Daddy? What are you doing here?" she hissed through her mask. The older Yamanaka looked at her sternly, his jaw set and his mouth in a thin line.

"Don't miss. I'll cover your back," Inochi stated tersely. Ino nodded sharply before starting the hand seals once more.

"Yamanaka Secret Technique: Memory Transfer, Twenty Years of Pain!" she called out quietly as she finished the last seal and made sure that Sakura and Sasuke were both in her targeting circle. Within the span of an eye blink, twenty years of horrible memories, as well as the pain involved, were transferred from her mind into the mind of her victims. The young couple across the road both stiffened momentarily before crumpling to the ground, gripping their heads and screaming in pain.

"Disperse," Inochi ordered as he and his daughter both disappeared in twin swirls of leaves.

Ino landed outside a rented apartment that she had used as a staging area for her nighttime foray. She had rented several days prior so as to keep any witnesses from trailing her to her parents house and shop. The blonde quickly removed her mask, but before she could unlock the door and bolt inside, she was surrounded by a squad of ANBU.

"_What? How could they have found out so soon?_" Ino wondered as the team leader, wearing a dragon mask, stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Ino, the Hokage wishes to speak with you," Neji said as she and the entire squad disappeared in swirls of leaves.

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"Ino, just what the hell do you think you're doing?" Tsunade asked as she sat behind her desk, a rather stern look on her face.

"What are you talking about, Lady Hokage?" Ino asked with false innocence, mentally crossing her fingers and hoping that Tsunade hadn't discovered the personal…missions…she had been undertaking.

"Don't play dumb with me, Yamanaka!" Tsunade barked as he threw a file down on her desk before her. Opening it, she began to read out loud. "I have ten assault complaints against you from various citizens of the village! It says here that you verbally and physically accosted the lady that operates the orphanage! It also states that you stole a rather valuable item from her…,"

"Bullshit! I took Foxy away from that old hag! She actually had it in a glass case and displayed it like it was a battle trophy!" Ino exploded. When Tsunade looked at her questioningly, Ino explained about how the woman had assaulted Naruto as a child and refused to give him his stuff when she threw him out on the streets.

"So, where is 'Foxy' now?" Tsunade asked as she felt a headache coming on.

"I…uh…tucked it under the covers with Naruto the last time I checked in on him," Ino answered, trying to figure out why Tsunade had such a strange look on her face.

"So let me get this straight: you beat the crap out of a woman more than twice your age, stole a toy, and gave it to a shinobi in his early twenties?" Tsunade was trying really hard to stay angry, but the grin on her face kept trying to escape. Finally, she was able to fix it into a smirk.

"It was his to begin with!" Ino bellowed before a raised eyebrow from her leader stopped her. "Uh…I mean…yes ma'am."

"Okay, what about this one? A grocer, Mr. Kishi, claims that you slapped him so hard it left a large bruise on his cheek! You then forced him to eat moldy bread and poured sour milk down his throat! Got an excuse for that one?" Tsunade barked, her eyes narrowing at the young blonde before her. She was startled to see Ino stand up straight and proud, looking her straight in the eye.

"No excuse, Lady Hokage! When Naruto was much younger, this…man…was the only one who would sell him any groceries, but he always charged him four times the regular price for bread that was already moldy! The milk was always soured! That bastard did everything he could to make Naruto sick!" Ino growled. Yep, definitely a headache!

"_I'm beginning to see a pattern here_," Tsunade thought as she pulled out another complaint. This was one of the more serious ones. "How do you explain this one? It says here that you actually crucified this guy! I ended up having to repair Mr. Moto's wounds personally! He insists that I throw you in prison for attacking an innocent citizen of Konoha!"

"Innocent my ass! I was going to do more than crucify him, I was going to cut his fucking balls off! The only thing that stopped me was the fact that his screaming was drawing ANBU!" snarled the platinum blonde, drawing a look of shock from her Hokage. "Let me explain! That sorry sack of garbage attacked Naruto when he was five! He pinned Naruto to the back of the Hokage Tower with kunai and was going in for the kill when an ANBU with a dog mask came along. The coward fled while the ANBU worked to free Naruto!"

"What about tonight? You knowingly attacked your fellow shinobi! I know they royally screwed Naruto over, but when you were finished, they were on the ground screaming in agony! I just can't overlook something like that, Ino!" Tsunade's hazel eyes locked onto the light blue ones of the young Yamanaka. She couldn't find any sign of remorse or fear in them at all. "Just what did you do to them?"

"Lady Hokage, please," Ino sighed before biting her lip, looking thoughtful for a second before continuing. "I'm probably breaking Naruto's confidences right now, but you really need to know the truth! After you left the other day, Sakura and Sasuke really did a number on Naruto! I'm kind of afraid he might try to…hurt…himself again! If you'll let me, I'll show you why I've done what I've done. I can share his memories with you."

Tsunade's eyes opened wide as her jaw hit her desk. Share Naruto's memories? While the notion of invading his privacy did not appeal to her whatsoever, the idea of knowing what drove him to hurt himself so badly was pulling at her heartstrings. Naruto was like a child or a grandchild to her, and thinking that he had no one to share his pain with hurt her greatly. With great reluctance she nodded her head, she just had to know what had happened to her Naruto.

"Okay, Ino," Tsunade sighed as the younger blonde walked behind the desk and began a series of hand-signs. "This isn't what you did to the other two, is it?"

"Huh? Oh, no ma'am! What I did to them was blast all of Naruto's pain from his life into their minds in a split second. What this does is to slowly feed all of his memories into your mind. It will take about thirty seconds or so," Ino replied as she finished her signs and gently placed her finger on Tsunade's temple. Both women's eyes glowed brightly for half a minute, then Ino withdrew back to the other side of the desk.

"So…ah…um…oh…okay. That really…explains a lot," Tsunade stammered as she appeared to struggle to keep her emotions in check. "So…I'm going to play this off as an ongoing…side effect…of diving into Naruto's mind. You, however, are NOT going to attack anyone else over this, is that clear? One more attack, and you'll be spending some time with Ibiki! Got it?"

"Yes ma'am," Ino replied rather dejectedly. She really felt like she had done nothing wrong, she was merely trying to get some sort of justice for her much abused friend. "Is there anything else, Lady Hokage? Naruto should be waking up soon and I really need to be there to make sure he's okay." She was puzzled to see Tsunade's eyes light up.

"As a matter of fact, there is," the Hokage replied as she searched her desk frantically before grabbing two empty scrolls. Tsunade scribbled rather hastily on the first one before rolling it back up and throwing it at the Yamanaka heir. "There is the matter of your punishment. It's in the form of an extended mission, and I expect you to follow through with it in it's entirety!"

"_Oh no! What about Naruto?_" Ino wailed mentally as she unrolled the scroll and began to read it's contents. Her eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped as the scroll fell from her limp fingers. "What?! Really?!"

"Yes, really," Tsunade replied as began to scribble furiously on the second scroll she had picked up. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, Lady Tsunade!" Ino replied with a smirk on her face. Tsunade had a matching smirk on her face.

"Good! Dismissed!" the blonde Sannin ordered as she watched Ino spin on the ball of her foot and take off with a rather noticeable bounce in her step. Tsunade smiled slightly before punching a button on her battered intercom. "Shizune! I want Ibiki in my office in fifteen minutes! I have a job for him!"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade!" her assistant called back through the small box. Quickly rolling up the finished scroll, the blonde medic began to search around the top of her desk, doing whatever she could to keep the images in her mind at bay. Finally, she gave up the hopeless battle as she sank to her knees and crawled under her desk, bawling her eyes out.

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Several days later, Ino walked into the little restaurant she and many of her fellow kunoichi like to have lunchtime meetings and looked about for the person she was to meet there. She had spent her time since her meeting with Tsunade split between visiting Naruto and preparing for her mission, so when she finally decided that she could take a little time to visit with one of her friends, she jumped at it.

"Ino!" she heard a voice call out to her from one of the booths in the back of the establishment. Looking up, Ino saw a dark-haired girl waving to her as she stood from her seat. Ino smiled and swallowed past the lump in her throat.

"Hey, Hinata!" the blonde called out as she walked over to her friend, the two exchanging hugs with each other before taking their places at the booth. A waiter came over and took their orders for tea and sweets, after which the two young women got down to business.

"So, how have you been, Hinata? It's been about a week since I saw you last," Ino commented as their tea arrived, as did the snack platter. Hinata began to nibble on a sweetened breadstick as Ino snagged a couple of cookies.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry about that! I've been swamped with Clan business. Ever since I took over for Father, I've had less and less free time. Between my missions, dealing with the Clan council, and removing as many Caged-Bird Seals as I could without the Council noticing, I barely have time to spend with those closest to me!" Hinata replied a bit sadly. "I haven't even had time to go see Naruto in at least two weeks! How is he doing?"

"You haven't heard?" Ino asked as she reached over and grabbed a stick of dango. Hinata smiled at seeing Ino not shying away from food. Naruto had really helped her. "He woke up from his coma about a week ago!"

"Really?! That's wonderful!" squeaked Hinata, her heart soaring at the news. "I really need to go see him soon! Is he still at the hospital?"

"Yeah, his wounds have finally healed, but he was so exhausted that the Hokage ordered him to stay in bed," the mind-walker replied. "He wasn't too happy about that, but he was too tired to fight it!" The two girls giggled, knowing how their friend felt about hospitals. Ino yawned, which drew a curious glance from the Hyuga clan leader.

"Are you okay, Ino? You seem kind of…frazzled," Hinata asked, concerned about her friend. She knew that Ino hadn't gotten much rest since Naruto ended up in the hospital. Ino just waved it off.

"Sorry about that. It's just between taking care of Naruto and getting ready for this mission, I'm a little tired," explained the young blonde as she quickly finished off her tea and called for a refill. Hinata looked at her and smiled gently.

"You really care for him a lot, don't you?" Ino blushed madly as she took a sudden interest in her tea cup. Hinata giggled as she reached out and patted her friend's hand. "He's kinda easy to love, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is," Ino muttered to herself as she began to nod her head, only to suddenly stop when she realized what she was doing. "Uh…Hinata…,"

"Don't worry about it! It'll be our little secret, and trust me, I know how to keep a secret!" Hinata replied, smiling knowingly. Ino understood what she was talking about, even if Hinata had no clue about Ino's suspicions. "What's wrong, Ino? You look like something is really troubling you!"

"Uh, well…you can say that," Ino began, biting her lip a little as she tried to broach the subject. "You see…I have something to tell you, but….but.…but I just don't know how to go about it!"

"Oh my! Ino Yamanaka is afraid to actually discuss something? The world must be coming to an end!" Hinata teased, drawing a smile from her dour friend. Ino promptly stuck her tongue out at Hinata, eliciting giggles from the Hyuga.

"Alright! Alright! It's kind of a delicate subject, so I was trying not to be too blunt," Ino remarked, a small smirk settling briefly on her face before vanishing in a small blush. "Well, the main reason Naruto was in a coma for so long was because his mind had shattered…"

"Oh! How awful! Poor Naruto!" Hinata gasped, holding one hand before her mouth. Her heart was beginning to ache for her first love. "So…how did he get better?"

"Well…that's the difficult part! First, my father went into Naruto's mind, then I did several days later. When we were there, we were exposed to his memories…" Hinata went pale. The biggest gossip in Konoha had just discovered one of her most guarded secrets.

"All…all his memories?" Hinata stammered. She felt so naked and exposed that her stutter was beginning to reappear.

"Daddy got all of them, I got the more powerful ones…" continued Ino, the blush on her face growing brighter.

"Including…?" Hinata barely got out, her eyes wide in fear. Ino nodded her head softly.

"Yeah," Ino sighed, watching her friend beginning to panic, "that one, too." Tears began to form in Hinata's eyes.

"Oh, god! Y-you m-must think that I-I'm some s-sort of t-terrible whore! I-I-I-I m-mean, w-we weren't m-married, we-we weren't e-even d-dating…," Hinata sputtered, knowing that her friend was thinking horrible things about her.

"What? NO! No, no, no!" Ino protested, waving her hands in front of herself. She looked up and saw the unshed tears that filled the dark-haired beauty's eyes. "I wasn't thinking that at all! Promise! I was just…well…I'm kinda jealous."

"What?!" a shocked Hinata asked. How could Ino Yamanaka ever be jealous of Hinata Hyuga? She dabbed her eyes with a tissue Ino gave her as the blonde beauty explained.

"What…what was it like? I mean, you had this wonderful guy holding on to you and loving you like you were the precious thing in the world! I saw the looks you gave one another, it wasn't lust! It was love! What was it actually like to make love to another person?" Ino asked desperately. Hinata couldn't believe what her friend was asking her.

"Ino, haven't you ever…?" Hinata gasped as she saw her blonde friend grimace, then watched the sadness wash over her.

"Uh…I guess since I know some of your secrets, I'll share a few of mine. Yes, I've had sex before, and no, I've never had anyone make love to me before. You remember Kurenai's cousin, right?" Hinata nodded her head. She remembered that he had gone out with Ino, and then later wanted to date her. After he grabbed her in a most inappropriate location, Hinata gave him a Gentle-Fist strike somewhere rather private. "Well, he finally talked me into having sex with him, and then immediately broke up with me! He said some really…vile…things to me! I hurt so much, physically and mentally, I did this…"

"Oh, Ino," Hinata cried as she looked upon the scar on the blonde kunoichi's wrist. Ino quickly comforted her, grabbing and patting her hand.

"Shh, it's okay, Hinata! Naruto saved me that night, in more ways than one," Ino soothed her friend. "It was that night that I think I fell in love with the big goof!"

"It's easy to do," Hinata smiled as she patted Ino's hand. "To answer your question though, it was better than anything I ever dreamed of! I mean, it did hurt a little, he being my first and all. But he was so gentle, so loving, so compassionate! He made me feel like the center of the Universe, like everything else revolved around me! I had never felt that way before, I always said in the shadows, you know. He made me feel so….so…right! We spent the whole night together, loving one another," Hinata glowed as she recalled the memory of that night.

"Have you ever been with anyone else since?" Ino wondered shyly, which startled Hinata all the more. Ino Yamanaka was never shy! "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to…"

"It's okay, I don't mind," the head of the Hyuga replied as she continued to pat her friend's hand. "Twice since then, to be honest. Both times were with men who I thought would good…"

"Mommy! Auntie Ino!" screamed a dark-haired little girl wearing a lavender shorts set as she ran away from Neji and Tenten as they entered the door of the restaurant. She made a beeline straight for the two women in the booth and quickly wrapped Ino in a pint-sized hug.

"…fathers," Hinata said softly as she watched the little living missile hurdle toward them. She couldn't help but to have a smile spread across her face at the scene before her.

"Hey Pumpkin! Whatcha been doing?" Ino squealed as she returned the hug and gave the little girl a kiss on the forehead. She looked down into the pale blue eyes that stared back at her, there was a familiar gleam in them that really shook Ino to the core. A giggle of mirth came forth as the little girl leapt from Ino's lap and curled up in Hinata's.

"I missed you, Mommy!" the girl chirped as she gave her mother a hug and received one in return. The little girl was the mirror image of her mother, her long dark hair, her face, her body type, everything except her eyes. Despite the fact that they were a pale blue, the energy, the joy, the innocence screamed to the world who her father was. Ino shook her head in disbelief.

"I missed you too, Kushina dear, but you forgot to answer your Aunt Ino," replied Hinata as she placed a finger on her daughter's nose. "We don't want to seem rude, do we?"

"No ma'am," Kushina replied contritely, but smiled when she saw her mother and her aunt grin at her. "Sorry, Auntie Ino! Uncle Neji and Auntie Tenten are training me today! He's trying to show me how to use the Bubblegum!"

"Byakugan, Kushina. The Byakugan," Neji corrected as he and Tenten stood by the booth. Ino sighed inwardly as she watched how close the two had become, as Tenten rubbed her slightly swollen belly.

"Would you like to sit down, Tenten? I know how uncomfortable being in your condition can be," Hinata offered, but the pair politely declined.

"Thank you, cousin, but we aren't going to be here long," Neji replied. His once cold and distant personality had long since died, only to rise when he was on duty. It was a much warmer Neji that reached over and plucked a protesting six year old from her mother's lap. She grew quiet when he whispered in her ear and settled comfortably on his hip.

"Kushina did so well in her training today that Uncle Neji promised to buy her an ice cream," Tenten added with a giggle as the small dark-haired beauty sprang from her Uncle Neji and took off like a rocket, followed closely by her uncle as he gave chase. Tenten giggled at her lover's predicament as she waved good-bye and helped Neji wrangle the young Hyuga. Ino sighed as she watched the three interact.

"She's so much like him, it's scary! I'm surprised that I didn't see it before," Ino commented as she shook her head, her ponytail wagging behind her.

"That was the point, nobody was supposed to know," Hinata answered in turn. "That's why I told everyone her father was someone that I was going to marry, but was killed in Pein's attack. With so many dead and injured…,"

"…it was easy to believe," Ino finished as the two women watched Neji, Tenten, and Kushina walk back out the door as they waved to them. "So, Naruto really is…,"

"…her father," Hinata confirmed softly so that no one else would overhear their conversation. "Please, Ino, don't tell anyone! I don't want to hurt anyone by my deception! Promise me!"

"I promise," Ino muttered, knowing that it wasn't her place to let the village know that Kushina Hyuga's father was really Naruto Namikaze. "Besides us, who else knows?"

" My father, Neji, and Tsunade," replied the lavender eyed beauty. Ino's eyes grew wide as her jaw dropped.

"Really?" she squeaked, to which Hinata nodded her head in confirmation.

"Yes, my father knows because it took the two of us to work out the story and the paperwork for it. Neji knows because he's my protector and he's the one who took care of me most, besides Naruto. Tsunade knows because she's the one who would come over for my checkups, and she's the one who delivered Kushina," answered Hinata as she looked about to see if anyone was monitoring their conversation.

"Naruto doesn't know? I'm surprised! I know that he was always going over to your place to look in on you," Ino asked, shocked at the revelation.

"He did more than that," Hinata said as she thought back to that time. "After he discovered that I was pregnant, he would come over all the time and take care of me as best as he could. Sakura seemed a little upset about that, until he started to bring her along to look in on me as a medic. After that, I think she believed he was just being Naruto, doing his best to help a friend. Naruto was there when I went into labor and he was there when Kushina was born. He was one of the first ones to hold her!" Ino grinned at the thought of Naruto holding his daughter, until she remembered that he never knew she was his.

"Why didn't you tell him, Hinata? Knowing that knucklehead, he would have jumped at the chance to be a father and would have married you in heartbeat!" Ino whispered. Her eyes grew wide once more as Hinata shook her head.

"I didn't want to trap him a marriage he didn't want, Ino!" she answered. "Yes, his sense of honor and his huge heart would have forced him into the marriage bed, but I didn't want that for him! You see, even after that one night, I knew his heart truly belonged to Sakura. And I realized that, even though I truly did love Naruto, it wasn't in the romantic way. It took one night of happiness and passion to make me realize that my crush was just that: a crush."

"So…are you sorry you…" Ino began, only to by cut off by the young Hyuga.

"No! Never! That was one of the most cherished nights of my life! That, and the night I held our daughter for the first time! I wouldn't trade it for anything!" Ino was shocked at Hinata's vehemence on the subject.

"You know, Hinata, after everything he's gone through, after being betrayed by his wife…maybe this is what he needs!" reasoned Ino, but a sad look from Hinata stopped her.

"Ino, it would break his heart to know that I kept her a secret for the past six years! I did it at the time to protect him, and I'm doing it now to protect him! And what about Kushina? I've told her ever since she was old enough to understand that her father was a hero that died bravely in the attack. It would hurt her so badly to know that her Uncle Naruto was really her father," Hinata explained sadly at the end. Despite the fact she didn't want to, Ino could see the logic behind the argument. Hinata wanted Naruto to live his own life, not be trapped in one not of his will.

"I just wish that there was something we could do to make him feel better," Ino sighed as she blew her bangs forward and propped her head up on her hand. "I mean, I had just barely gotten him put back together when Sakura came in and tore him apart again! It hurts so badly to see him like this!"

"I understand, he's still so very special to me, too," responded Hinata, "Right after all this happened, I discussed with my father the possibility of arranging a marriage between Naruto and myself, just so that he wouldn't be alone."

"Really?" Ino panicked as her eyes flew open wide. Her heart fell to the floor at the thought of Hinata and Naruto getting married, despite the fact she had just mentioned something like that just moments prior. She cursed herself for feeling like that however, she couldn't be that selfish.

"Relax, Ino," Hinata soothed as she saw the despair build within her blonde friend. "Technically, it would have been a political marriage, you know, a joining of clans. However, we soon realized that Naruto would never marry for anything other than love." Ino sighed in relief, as Hinata giggled at the blonde before her.

"Am I really that transparent?"" Ino asked only to met by the nodding head of her friend.

"Not by others, perhaps, but we Hyuga are trained to see the hidden," Hinata smiled sweetly, waiting until Ino began to take a sip of her second cup of tea. "But you know, I wouldn't mind another night of passion with our favorite Toad Sage! He was definitely the best lover I ever had!" Hinata laughed as Ino spit out her tea and began to sputter.

"H-Hinata!" Ino choked as she wiped the tea from her face and tossed a glare at her fellow kunoichi.

"Well, what do you expect? He's the author of Icha-Icha after all!" The dark-haired beauty covered her mouth as she continued to giggle at the look on her frazzled friend's face. "I'm so sorry, Ino! I just couldn't help myself!" Ino gazed in wonder.

"Whatever happened to that sweet, little Hinata I used to know?" Ino smirked, catching the gleam in Hinata's eyes.

"She became the mother of Konoha's second-most hyperactive citizen….."

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_**A/N**: Here ya go, folks! Sorry it took a while to get this one done, but Life can be a royal pain, sometimes! Now, I want to address a few things brought up in some of the reviews of my last chapter: _

_1) This isn't a Naruto/Harem story, it really is a Naruto/Ino story, but it does have some elements of Naruto and Hinata's relationship in it. Like in real life, past relationships will intrude in Naruto's life from time to time, whether that intrusion involves an ex-lover or an ex-wife. Sometimes, it just happens._

_2) This story is most certainly not a Sakura/Sasuke bashing story. I personally don't like bashing, I agree that it tends to take away from the story. Sakura's reaction in the last chapter wasn't bashing, but it was taken from real life. I personally have friends whose spouses have justified their infidelity with just reasoning. _

_Now, from what I've extrapolated from Sakura's personality in reading the manga from the beginning, she likes to be in control, and that would certainly go for any relationship she would be in. Despite how she felt about Naruto when they started dating and then got married, she would still like to be in control, as well as believing that Naruto was an idiot, at least on a subconscious level. Then throw her former crush (and current lover) into the equation, and she was bound to cheat ( especially after Sasuke became the kind of man she always dreamed that he would be). Thus, it would drive her nuts to know that she lost control of the situation and would return to type, mentally and emotionally abusing her ex-husband._

_Don't worry, though, Ino got them both! Heh! Later!- Lord Talon _


	13. Chapter 13

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 13

Sakura lay awake in her and Sasuke's bed, wrapped up in the arms of said lover. Dark circles surrounded her eyes, making her look much the same as the former jinchuuriki of Shukaku as fatigue ravaged her body, mind, and senses. She hadn't gotten a decent night's rest since the attack several nights prior. It as almost a relief whenever the baby would cry at night for a feeding or to have his diaper changed, at least that kept sleep from taking her. At least it kept the horrible, horrible memories at bay. Memories that would reach out night after night, hour after hour, minute after minute, second after second and scorch her very soul.

Sasuke was in the same boat as his pink-haired girlfriend. His limbs felt like lead as he struggled home everyday from his assignments, and the second he would close his eyes, the retched memories would attack with a force like Naruto's Rasengan. Those cursed memories. The memories of the hell his former best friend lived through his entire life. The hell that was the past of Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze.

Sasuke knew his share of heartache and misery, of course. After all, his whole clan had been murdered by his older brother at the orders of the Village Council. That same brother forced him to live the entire massacre over and over again as he was caught in Itachi's Tsukuyomi. He knew pain as Orochimaru's curse mark poured it's vile power throughout his body. He knew heartache and remorse after killing his brother to only find out that his anger was truly misplaced. He smiled at the memory of he and Naruto clearing out the council and Danzo's ROOT when they came back home that final time.

But for all the pain and suffering, Sasuke had know the love of a family that had supported him. He knew the vain joy of having a whole village bow down and kiss his butt because of his name. He even knew the warmth in his chest at having the attention of all his fan girls, despite how annoyed he acted on the outside. He also knew the joy of holding a lover in his arms.

All of these joys, both great and small, he realized had been denied to Naruto. All but the later, that is, and Sasuke had selfishly taken that from him. Naruto's heartache was something that no one should have to live through, and Sasuke knew he had created a great deal of it. Now, that burden was his as well. Despite the fact he knew a certain Yamanaka was to blame for his current state, he really couldn't blame her, he could only blame himself, and the narrow-minded fools in the village.

The memories were a very powerful wakeup call for Sakura Haruno. She replayed her last conversation with Naruto, and after being assaulted again and again by the horrid memories that dwelt within the Toad Sage's mind, she finally realized that she was the truly selfish one. She felt every single punch, insult, and slight that she had inflicted upon her former husband. She knew his heartache every time he asked her out only to be turned down, and she felt the hurt whenever she chased after Sasuke. But worst of all, she knew the sting of betrayal over what she and Sasuke had done. She felt how his heart had shattered when he learned about the baby. Sakura cried for the most part of a day over that one. She knew in her heart-of-hearts that Ino was the one responsible for her current misery, but she knew as well that she truly deserved it.

"We really screwed up, didn't we?" she asked as she turned toward her lover, only to see the same look plastered on his face that she was certain was expressed on hers. The fatigue and pain would not go away.

"Yes, Blossom, we did," he replied as he held Sakura tighter. Soon, all too soon, the lovers were embracing the Sandman. Soon, the horrors would start…..

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Naruto sat quietly on the edge of his hospital bed and stared out the window, gazing upon the village he had spent his entire life defending, whether it be from enemy ninja or a certain Fox demon.

"_I wonder how many know? How many are laughing and enjoying my shame?_" he thought as he fiddled with the scroll in his hands. It contained all the get-well-soon cards and gifts he had received from his friends while was in the hospital, recovering from his self-inflicted injuries. "_I guess it really doesn't matter, does it?_"

He fidgeted some as he continued to sit and wait. Staying in hospitals always drove him nuts, and this was no exception. Lady Tsunade had ordered him to stay in this accused place for another week right after he woke up, to regain his strength. Naruto snorted. He still wasn't at one hundred percent, and he and Tsunade both knew it, so she did the most embarrassing thing she could. She actually assigned him a live-in caretaker.

Oh, Naruto was none-too-pleased with that, and he made sure that Tsunade knew it in the most vocal of terms. The debate was settled with a chakra-infused bonk on the head, putting him out for about three hours or so. When he finally woke up, he saw a tearful Tsunade sitting by his bedside, fearing that she had just sent him back into another coma. Begrudgingly, he agreed that, perhaps, he might just be in the need of some help. Not much, but some. Tsunade smiled and gave him a big hug before she left. So now, here he sat, waiting for his damn babysitter to arrive, when a more-than-welcome face showed up in his room.

"Hey, Sourpuss! Why so gloomy?" Ino asked a she bounced into the room and gave her irritated friend a much needed bear hug. The Toad Sage couldn't help but to smile at Ino's antics.

"Hey, Tigger, " the blonde male replied as he watched his friend and couldn't help but to notice that she was looking a lot better now than she did when he first woke up. Her skin now had a healthy glow to it, her light-blue eyes shone like the sun, and her hair was alive and bouncy once more. However, the biggest difference in her was her face, it just radiated pure happiness.

"My name is 'Ino' and not 'Tigger', I'll have you know," the kunoichi play-pouted as she crossed her arms under her breasts. "Do I look like I'm wearing those horrible sweats today?"

"No, that much I can see,"" Naruto quipped as he gazed upon her beauty. She was wearing an off-the-shoulder purple peasant crop top, one that showed off her toned stomach, as well as a matching flared miniskirt. The edges of the top and skirt were ruffled, and her feet were encased in a sexy pair of strappy sandals. Naruto felt a strange sensation beginning to stir within him. "But you still bounce!"

"Hey, you jerk!" Ino's jaw dropped and she peeked down the top of her blouse, "I have a bra on!" Ino blushed when she saw him give her his foxy grin. Crossing her arms, she smirked when she noticed a slight change of hue on his cheeks as well. "You still haven't answered my question!"

"I'm sitting here like a good little boy and waiting for the nursemaid Grandma assigned to me!" Naruto grumbled as he crossed his arms and pouted. "Shoot, I'd much rather grab you and drag you out for a bite to eat! You gotta hot date later or something? You're damn sure dressed for it!"

"I might just take you up on that offer later, Foxy," Ino smirked as a small blush lit up her cheeks. She locked eyes with him as she walked right up and stood between his knees. "And no, I'm not dressed for a date! I dressed up to visit a very special friend of mine who hasn't been feeling well lately!"

"Wow, lucky guy!" Naruto chimed in as he scratched the back of his head. He meant it, too! Not only did Ino look great, but the wildflower perfume she was wearing was beginning to awaken something primal within the Toad Sage. The Fox within was beginning to stir, as well, as the scent began to intoxicate them both.

"Yes, he is," she purred as she draped her arms over his shoulders and placed her forehead to his, staring deep into his bright blue eyes. She smirked even more when she saw those same eyes grow wide and the blush on his cheeks deepen. "By the way, you jerk, I'm your nurse, not your nursemaid! Got it?"

"Huh? What?" Naruto exclaimed as Ino grabbed his hand and yanked him off the bed and began to drag him out the door. "Hey, wait a sec! Where are we going?"

"First off, we're going home and you're going to take a shower and then put on your best clothes! Then, I'm going to take you over to Akimichi's BBQ, a lot of your friends have missed you greatly and are having a little get-together in your honor! Now, come on!" Ino explained as she dragged him out of the room and down the hall.

"_Aw crap! What have I gotten myself into?_" Naruto asked himself while in the background, the Kyuubi was laughing his head off…..

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"Whew! Home at last!" Ino giggled as she and Naruto stumbled down the hallway and into the living room of the Namikaze estate. The two slightly inebriated friends plopped down on the sofa side-by-side and sprawled out to relax. "I can't believe I ate so much tonight! I'm gonna have to work extra hard to burn all that off!"

"Aw, come on, Ino! I've told you before that you're a gorgeous woman and you shouldn't have to worry about your weight!" Naruto complained as he leaned back and patted his bloated stomach. He had never eaten so much ramen and beef before in his life.

"No, I'm not, but thank you for saying so anyway!" Ino snickered as she leaned up against the side of the slightly tipsy Toad Sage, enjoying the warmth emanating from his body.

"That's not what the death-glares Choji's girlfriend was sending your way said," snorted Naruto as he relaxed, allowing the alcohol to do it's job.

"She's always been that way around me for some reason," the young kunoichi replied, thinking about her stout friend and the girl. "I think she's afraid I'm gonna steal him or something. Oh, and it's 'fiancée', now."

"Huh? When did that happen?" Naruto asked as he placed his arms on the back of the sofa, not realizing how dangerously close he was to wrapping one around Ino.

"Not too long after you…were put in the hospital," Ino muttered, trying hard to not remember the events of that night, "About the same time as Shika asked Temari to marry him. You probably missed us talking about it, though. If I remember correctly, you were in the middle of a three-way lap dance with Kurenai and Anko!"

"Lord, don't remind me, " Naruto shuddered. Ino gave him a rather quizzical look. "Hey, don't get me wrong! Kurenai is a very beautiful woman, but Anko…man, she's way too creepy!"

"Now, now! Don't pretend you didn't like it!" giggled the blonde mind-walker as she cut her eyes toward the Sage. "I didn't see you fighting them off of anything!"

"Uh, yeah, I just didn't want to be rude or anything," an embarrassed Naruto stammered, his cheeks beginning to glow red. "I didn't want to hurt their feelings!"

"Sure you didn't, you perv," Ino teased as she bent forward and unbuckled the straps of her sandals, setting them over to the side. She then tucked her legs under her and curled up into Naruto's side, her already short skirt riding dangerously high. She smiled inwardly as she noticed Naruto glancing down at her legs, ever so briefly, several times. It wasn't the first time, either, as she had caught him doing so several times during the party. Ino was beginning to learn a little secret about her favorite Sage.

"So, whatcha think of the place?" Ino asked, changing the subject so as to stop embarrassing her friend. She would have loved to have teased him more, but he had just gotten out of the hospital, after all.

"It looks great!" Naruto answered quickly, thankful for the change of subject. "It feels warm, feels like…home."

"Good! That was what I was aiming for," she chirped as she looked around the living room. All of Naruto's and Sakura's stuff were still sealed within the scrolls Naruto had prepared that awful night, so Ino dug out the scrolls with the original furniture and decorations. The ones that had original belonged to his parents.

"How were you able to do all this?" he asked. He remembered when he and Sakura had originally moved in, she wanted to replace everything to show it was their home, not his parents'. Naruto had begrudgingly agreed, but refused to get rid of any of his parents possessions, so he sealed it all in scrolls and asked Tsunade to watch over them.

"I used a little trick of yours," she purred as she enjoyed his warmth. "I used Shadow Clones!"

"What?!" Naruto startled and looked down at his beautiful friend, stealing a quick glimpse of her silky thighs. "Ino, you know how dangerous those things can be to the user! I don't want you to kill yourself from chakra exhaustion! I'm not worth it….OWW!!"

"Stop it! I think you're worth it!" Ino snapped as she jabbed him in the side. "I know all about the dangers of Shadow Clones, I am a medic, remember? Besides, I didn't do it alone! All of your friends pitched in and helped, even Captain Yamato! That just goes to show you how much I ---we love you!"

"Okay! Okay! Just don't do that again!" Naruto protested as he rubbed side with his free hand as his other arm slipped off the back of the sofa and wrapped itself around Ino's bare shoulders. "That hurt!"

"It was supposed to, silly!" Ino yawned as she continued to enjoy the warmth of his body. She snuggled deeper into his side as she took in the woodsy scent of the sage. "Don't ever talk that way about yourself again! Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am, " he murmured, his eyes beginning to grow heavy. He felt the blonde at his side relax as she stretched out, placing her head in his lap and using it as a pillow. "I wonder what Grandma's going to have me do when I go in and see her tomorrow?"

"Nothing," Ino sighed as she felt the tensions of the day melt away. Naruto's lap was very comfortable, and she could see herself laying in it for a very, very long time. "She said you're to take the next week off, then report to her to begin your training."

"Training for what, exactly?" he asked, his eyelids closed as sleep steadily crept up on him.

"To be Hokage," she whispered as sleep finally claimed them both.

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"Morning, Sleepyhead!" Ino chirped as she drew open the bedroom curtains and pounced on the bed, jarring the slumbering Sage awake.

"Huh? Ino?" a rather groggy Naruto called out as he opened his eyes, only to see light blue eyes and a blonde ponytail hanging above his face.

"Come on, silly! It's time to get up!" she teased as she slowly crawled off the bed and yanked the covers off her friend, revealing the black silk pajama bottoms he was currently wearing. Ino flushed a little when she saw his well-muscled chest and chiseled abs.

"_Yummy_!" she drooled mentally as she took in the magnificence that was Konoha's favorite knucklehead.

"Uh, Ino, if you're going to keep staring at me topless, you could at least extend me the same courtesy," Naruto quipped groggily as he ran a hand through his spiky hair. Ino's jaw dropped, then she began to turn red and clinch her fist dangerously. "Just a joke! I was just teasing, Tigger!"

"Pervert," she snorted as she crossed her arms and glared at her friend. It was then she noticed him staring at her rather intensely. "Quit it!"

"Huh? Hang on, come over here for a second," Naruto motioned her toward him as his eyes never wavered. Stomping over to his bed, Ino was ready to whack him in the head for being rude when he reached out and touched her bare belly. She was wearing her normal battle outfit, which was bare midriff, of course.

"W-what do you want?" she stammered as she felt something flutter inside of her as Naruto's fingers caressed her bare skin. Ino stifled a groan of disappointment when he drew back his hand.

"Where did you get that seal?" he asked, looking rather perplexed. His bright-blue eyes took on a shade of concern as he looked into her cornflower-blue orbs.

"What? You can see that? How? I was told it was invisible!" Ino protested as she looked down past her breasts, trying to catch a glimpse of any marks on her belly.

"I was trained by one of the world's best seal masters, Ino. I learned a long time ago how to spot hidden seals," replied Naruto as he kept staring at the invisible mark. "It doesn't look familiar, though! It's not some sort of silly diet thing, is it?"

"WHAT?! Are you saying that I need to lose weight?!" she growled falsely, trying to divert his attention elsewhere.

"Ino…," Naruto grumbled, not taking the bait. The young kunoichi knew she lost and just rolled her eyes in defeat.

"Okay," she sighed as her arms dropped to her side, "The Kyuubi gave it to me when I dove into your mind…,"

"**Uh oh**," Kyuubi muttered as he withdrew to the furthest corner of his cage, knowing that this was going to get ugly. Naruto noticed immediately.

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"_Kyuubi! What the hell did you do?_" Naruto barked at the front of the cage, but received no response. "_No answer, huh? Alright then, you asked for it!_"

"**NO! Not that!**" Kyuubi whined, but it was too late. The sewer that was Naruto's mindscape suddenly turned into a bright, sunny field of wildflowers crawling with hundreds upon hundreds of cute, frolicking kittens! Of all the tortures he had to endure since his imprisonment, this was the worst! The kittens were so cute, so cuddly, so fuzzy, and sounded so sweet that the Fox couldn't stand it. They literally made him sick.

He learned how sadistic his jailor was when he used it for the first time. The Sage sent the whole fuzzy army into the Kyuubi's cage, and every time he destroyed one, ten more would pop up to take it's place. Soon, his whole cage was filled, and he was covered in the pesky critters. That was the first time in his life that he was ever sick, but living in his own filth was better than putting up with…kittens!

"So, tell me what you did!" growled the blonde pain-in-the-butt, a ball of yarn in his hand, which he slowly drew back so he could throw it into the cage.

"**ALRIGHTIGAVEITTOHERASAREWARDFORFIXINGMEUPITCOVERSUPTHESCARONHERBELLYANDCONNECTSTHETWOOFYOUTOGETHER!!!**" Kyuubi screamed, his eyes wide as he stared at the waiting army of feline cuteness.

"_Huh?_" replied the blonde, his ears working much more slowly than the Kitsune's mouth.

"**I gave it to her as a reward for fixing me up when she put your mind back together. It covers up the long scar that's on her belly, as well as connects the two of you,**" The Fox sighed in relief as the ball of yarn disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"_What do you mean it connects us? And what scar?_" a perplexed Naruto asked as Kyuubi looked at him sadly.

"**The scar is one you gave her that night, kit. When she pulled the kunai out of your belly, it cut her across hers,**" the Fox explained to a wide-eyed blonde. "**As for connecting you both, it just allows the two of you to know when the other is in any sort of trouble. It just takes a little chakra sent into the seals to activate them.**"

"_Seals? So, she's connected to the seal on my stomach?_" Naruto frowned, not liking the sound of that. "_How could you do this to her?_"

"**Look, kit,**" began the Fox, his eyes taking on a gentle look. "**Believe it or not, that blonde vixen cares for you very much. She was very worried about you and needed some sort of way to make sure you were alright. That's what the seal does, besides hiding the scar.**"

"_Ino can do a lot better than me,_" Naruto replied sadly as he and the meadow vanished. Kyuubi breathed a sigh of relief and frustration.

"**She doesn't think so, kit! Damn, that ex-wife of yours has really messed you up!**" muttered the Kitsune as he glanced down and stared at the one remaining kitten the Sage had left behind, a cute little Russian Blue. "**What the hell are you looking at, runt?**"

"_Mew!"_ it called out as it took a step forward, causing the mighty Kyuubi no Kitsune to take a step back away from his cage doors, muttering under his breath about idiotic, ungrateful blondes….

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"Naruto? Yoo-hoo! Naruto! Are you there?" Ino asked as she watched his face go blank for a minute or two, and then realized that he was probably talking to his inmate. Finally, she saw life come back into his bewhiskered face, but unfortunately, it was in the form of an extremely sad frown.

"I'm…I'm so sorry, Ino," Naruto muttered, his blue eyes glazing over as he tore his gaze away from hers and stared at the floor. "I-I never meant to hurt you!"

"Oh, Naruto," Ino replied as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her depressed friend. She didn't need the seal on her belly to tell her that he was hurting, and hurting badly. "Like I told you before, I cut myself a lot worse shaving! Now, come on! You need to get dressed and go see the Hokage!" With that said, she yanked him from his bed and pushed him toward his closet, but not before he got a good look at her legs. Ino noticed this and smirked.

"If that's true, how come I don't see any scars on your legs, Tigger?" Naruto called out from his closet as he rummaged around for a clean uniform.

"_Ooo, I'm gonna get him for that!_" she growled inwardly, she hated to be called 'Tigger'. "Who said anything about my legs?" Ino called out, only to answered by a loud crashing sound from the closet. She placed her hand on her hip and smirked, waiting for his reaction.

"That wasn't very nice, Ino!" Naruto grumbled as he staggered out of his closet, several items of clothing draped over his shoulders and head. Ino stifled a laugh at the sight of the poor Sage.

"Perv!" she chirped as she spun on her heel and left his room with an extra wiggle in her step. Naruto's eyes locked onto her as she disappeared from sight, then shook his head as he walked toward his bathroom.

"Lord, what am I going to do?"

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"Morning, Grandma!" Naruto called out as he and Ino were escorted into the Hokage's office. The elder blonde waited until the door was closed before she got up from behind her desk and enveloped the young Sage in a tight hug. He stiffened for a split second before relaxing into it and returning the favor. Ino stood to the side and smiled at the scene. Despite what Naruto felt and had done to himself, he still had people that loved him.

"Morning, brat! Feeling any better?" Tsunade asked as she broke the hug and held him out at arms-length. Ino giggled at the look on Naruto's face when Tsunade began to run a medical diagnostic jutsu on him.

"I'm okay, other than feeling a little hung-over and a bit tired from yesterday," replied the Sage as Tsunade took her seat once more, gazing at the young shinobi before her.

"Tired? From what?! I gave you specific orders to rest!" Tsunade fumed. She knew that Naruto wasn't ready to start training again, let alone return to mission status. That's why she assigned Ino to watch over him.

"I did try to rest, but the blonde that was in my bed last night kept stealing the covers!" grumbled Naruto as he hooked a thumb over toward his companion. Tsunade's eyes bugged out as Ino turned a most interesting shade of red.

"Jerk!" Ino bellowed as she reached over and slugged him in the nearest shoulder.

"Oww! What was that for?" Naruto asked as he began to run the sore spot Ino had created.

"That's for acting like a pervert!" the young Yamanaka barked as she glared at him. Not one to back down, Naruto glared back.

"What are you talking about? I was a perfect gentleman! At least I didn't try to change your clothes for you!" Naruto defended himself.

"Oh, come on! You and I both know that I don't wear clothes to bed! I like to sleep in the….," Ino stopped when she saw a full body blush overtake her friend, which only caused her to do the same. The two turned their faces away from each other as a small cough from the Hokage forced them to remember where they were.

"Is there anything about last night that I should know about?" The Senju asked, enjoying watching the two young blondes blush even more. Ino was the first to speak up.

"N-not really, Lady Hokage!" Ino stammered as she began to try to explain, but the smirk on Tsunade's face wasn't helping much. "You see, we both had a little too much to drink last night at Naruto's welcome back party and we both fell asleep on his couch," Ino began, conveniently leaving out the part about her curling up in his lap to do so. He was so comfortable and warm that she couldn't help herself.

"Yeah, and instead of leaving her there when I woke up later, I picked her up to carry her to bed…HER BED! The only problem was that I didn't know what room she was using, so I put her in my bed and tucked her in," continued Naruto as he closed his eyes and scratched the back of his head.

He wasn't about to admit that one of the reasons he tucked her in was because the sight of that beautiful blonde vixen in his bed was beginning to stir something deep down inside that he hadn't felt since before this whole blasted mess had started. When she turned over and snuggled up with him in the middle of the night, he felt so warm, so happy, and so complete that for a while, he forgot it was his friend Ino beside him. When he finally remembered, he instantly woke up and had a very difficult time going back to sleep.

"So…nothing happened?" Tsunade asked, one eyebrow cocked upward. She was enjoying this immensely.

"No ma'am," answered Ino, feeling just a bit nervous.

"Of course not, Grandma! You know that Ino could do a lot better than to be with someone like me!" Naruto replied, not realizing that a burst of sadness and self-loathing had made it's way to his seal and over to Ino.

"Naruto?" she asked quietly as she reached over and took his hand, his sadness reflected in her eyes. He just shook his head slightly.

"It's okay, Ino," he replied as Tsunade motioned them both to take a seat.

"Okay, so I guess you both are wondering what I called you here for," Tsunade began as she placed several small scrolls on the desk before her.

"Yeah, just a little," Naruto quipped, earning a glare from his leader.

"Shut up, brat! Now, first off, you're first assignment is to take the next week off and continue to rest! No training, no sparring, no 'accidental' fights, nothing! Just rest, got it?" Tsunade ordered, drawing a startled gasp from the Sage.

"But, Grandma…," Naruto began to protest, only to be cut off.

"Got it?" growled the last Sannin. Naruto gulped and nodded his head, especially after hearing her knuckles crack. He knew that normally, he was far stronger than her, but he still wasn't at top form yet, plus he could never hurt his Grandma. "Ino, you're in charge of making sure he does as I say!"

"Yes, Lady Hokage!" chirped Ino with a smirk on her face. Naruto gave her an irritated glare, she was enjoying this way too much.

"_Now, for the best part_!" Tsunade thought to herself as she threw the first scroll at Naruto and hit him right between the eyes.

"Oww!" he yelped as crocodile tears poured from his eyes. "What did you do that for?"

"You were supposed to catch it, moron! What the hell kinda ninja are you?" Tsunade shot back as a gleam appeared in her eyes, one that was matched by the Toad Sage. Ino shook her head in dismay. If anyone who didn't know these two watched their antics, they would swear that they hated each other. Ino, of course, knew the difference. This was how they showed their twisted love for one another.

"Well, you could have warned me!" mock-growled Naruto as he continued to stare at the scroll in his hand. "What is it?"

"Just open the damn thing!" Tsunade barked, a vein beginning to form on her forehead. She smirked as she watched the look of shock cover his face as he read the scroll. Ino was anxious and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

"Grandma, is this really what I think it is?" Naruto gasped, his mind clearly unable to process what lay within the scroll. Ino couldn't help herself and reached over, snatching the scroll from Naruto's slack hands.

"Yes, it is, Naruto! As of this moment, I have formally declared you as my heir to the office of Hokage. When the time comes for me to step down, you will be the Sixth Hokage!" announced Tsunade as Ino squealed, jumped up, and wrapped the stunned Sage up in a huge, rib-crushing hug.

"But…but Tsunade, I'm not ready yet," Naruto protested as he secretly enjoyed the feeling of Ino being so close. Her perfume was driving him mad.

"I know, but by the time I'm done with you, you will be!" the Slug Summoner replied as she enjoyed watching the young kunoichi before her grow flustered and seated herself back down into her chair. The blush on the faces of both young blondes was inescapable. "I still have years to go before I step down and turn the village over to you. You maybe the strongest ninja I have ever met, Naruto, but there are still a lot of things you need to learn!"

"Oh," a dejected looking Naruto mumbled as a spike of self-loathing penetrated his heart. He knew he was an idiot, he just didn't like to be reminded of it. He was about to tumble into the abyss of depression when he felt someone take his hand.

"You are NOT an idiot, Naruto! Don't you ever think that way again, or I'll kick your ass all the way to Suna!" Ino whispered in his ear, her warm breath sending pleasurable waves down his spine. The seal was obviously a stronger link than either one of them thought.

"Don't feel bad, Naruto. These are things all Hokage must learn, so you'll actually have an advantage when you take over! I had to learn all this stuff on the fly, and from what Jiraiya told me, so did your father," the Hokage reassured, watching the young man light up at the mention of his father and his sensei.

"What all does Naruto have to learn, Lady Hokage?" Ino asked, she was really curious about what a Hokage-in-training had to learn.

"Diplomacy, foreign customs and relations, scheduling, budgets, negotiations, manners, all this damn paperwork…," droned Tsunade, her eyes flaring at the mention of paperwork.

"All the boring crap," sighed Naruto, rolling his eyes. Ino glared at him once more at his attitude.

"Yep, all the boring crap," Tsunade agreed as she passed him another scroll, one that he managed to catch this time. "That's your next assignment. One week from today, report to my office at eight A.M. sharp! I'll get you set up with your own office and a desk before then. On your down time, I want you to study the scrolls that are sealed up in the one in your hand."

"What kinda scrolls are they?" he asked as he studied the seals on the scroll.

"As you know, Konoha no longer has a Seal Master since Jiraiya and Kakashi both passed away," the Sannin explained as she got up and walked around the desk and stood before her fellow blondes, "Those scrolls contain all of Jiraiya's work on seals, as well as your father's. That is a part of your training: I want you to become a Seal Master! With as much time as you spent with the old pervert, you're probably well on your way to being one anyway!" Naruto and Ino exchanged knowing looks, seeing how close this was to what they had spoken about earlier that morning.

"There's also a special scroll in there about your Minato's Flying Thunder God technique. If anyone can get the damn thing to work, it's probably you!" the Hokage added as she reached over and started to move Naruto's hair out of his eyes.

"Aw, Grandma! Cut it out!" protested the young man as he tried to slap her hand away, but to no avail.

"You really should get a haircut, brat! I don't know how you can see through that mop," Tsunade remarked, going into full mother mode. "And where is your headband?"

"Hey, Jiraiya and my dad had long hair," Naruto pouted as Tsunade continued to fuss with his hair. Normally, with his forehead protector on, it held the hair into something that looked more manageable. Now, his golden hair easily covered his eyes as it tumbled down way past his shoulders. "Oh, and I haven't seen my headband since…that night."

"Oh," replied Tsunade as she quit fussing with his hair and leaned back against her desk "Still, I think you need…,"

"Nope! Ain't gonna happen…Hey! Oww! Oww! Oww!" Naruto protested as he felt someone yanking on his hair from behind. What he hadn't noticed as Tsunade complained about his hair was that Ino had left her seat and was behind him, pulling his hair back into a single bunch.

"Oh, quit whining," the platinum blonde barked as she reached her other hand down into her utility pouch, only to realize what she needed was back in her room at the house. Sighing, she reached up and pulled the hair band out of her hair and deftly wrapped it around the bundle in her hand. "There, all done! Now, you look a little more like Jiraiya!"

"Really?" Naruto reached around and felt the long yellow tail that hung from the back of his head. It was nowhere near as long as his old sensei's, but of course Jiraiya grew his out for many more years than Naruto had been alive. "It doesn't make me look like a dork, does it? Oww!"

"NO, actually it looks pretty cool! So, you better be grateful and don't complain about it, you jerk!" Ino remarked as she rubbed his hand. His head was just too damn hard!

"Yes, dear," he grumbled sarcastically as he turned and watched her return to her seat. He froze at the sight before him. "Wow."

"What?" Ino asked, rather confused. Naruto kept staring at her.

"Y-your hair," Naruto stammered, awestruck. Her platinum blonde hair had grown back out in the years since her breakup with Hiro and it now tumbled down her shoulders and back, easily reaching her shapely rear-end. Naruto was simply stunned by the sheer beauty of it. Normally, Ino was almost never seen without her signature ponytail, only fleeting glimpses of it's true length and beauty were ever seen. "It's…it's…"

"What?! Is there something in it?!" Ino panicked. She really hated it when stuff got in her hair. The kunoichi froze for a second as Naruto reached over and gently took the hair that covered one side of her face and tucked it behind her ear. The gesture caused the young Yamanaka to blush slightly.

"Perfect. Now, it's perfect!" Naruto replied with a smile as he watched a blush run up her neck and into her face. "You should wear your hair down more often, Ino! It's beautiful!" Ino smiled prettily at Naruto's heartfelt comment.

"Okay, you two! Can we get back down to business or do I need to get you a room at the nearest hotel?" Tsunade teased, earning deep blushed from the other two in the room. "Naruto, I'll get you another headband soon. Now, Ino, here's the second part of your mission."

"Second part?" Ino asked as she took the next scroll from Tsunade's hand and began to read it.

"Yes, starting Monday, you will be Naruto's assistant. Now, before you protest, let me tell you both that these are steady paying missions and positions. You will be paid weekly, and if another mission comes up that I think will need your touch, I'll send you. I know how crazy being stuck in an office all day, every day can make you, so this way you'll still get out into the field occasionally," she explained as she walked back around and took her seat once more.

"Is there anything else, Granny?" asked the Sage, his mind still just a little overwhelmed at everything he had just heard. Tsunade grinned like a shark as she folded her hands in front of her on the desk. The sight was enough to make both shinobi want to go change their underwear.

"Actually, yes there is," she grinned as she passed the final scroll over to the Hokage-to-be, who took it in his shaking hands, fearing that it would blow up like an explosive tag, from the smile on Tsunade's face. "As Hokage, there are many different functions and celebrations that either I, or my representatives, must attend. Well, guess what? You two are now my representatives!" Tsunade chuckled as she watched Naruto grow pale and Ino started to become antsy. Everyone knew Ino Yamanaka just loves a good party! Tsunade was hoping that some of that energy would help to revive their mutual friend.

"Aw crap," muttered Naruto under his breath. He really didn't want to be around too many people right now, he really wasn't sure how many people knew about his pain and humiliation and were reveling in it.

"Now, now, Naruto," the Hokage reassured as she passed him the final scroll with the dates and locations of each event, "It's not going to be too bad! The only events scheduled for this week are three engagement parties: The Nara's, The Akimichi's, and the Hyuga's. They're all your friends, so you should be able to have a good time! Ino, I want you to be sure of that, got it?"

"Yes, Lady Hokage! I'll make sure to show him a good time!" Ino responded, causing Tsunade to bite the tongue so as not to laugh out loud. Naruto, however, seemed to know what the elder blonde was thinking and blushed a deep crimson. It seems that Jiraiya wasn't the only Sannin that was a pervert!

"I'm sure you will!" replied the Hokage dryly, doing everything she could to keep the mirth out of her voice. "Now, I want you both to go out and get yourself several nice, formal outfits, and have them charged to the village. You both now have business accounts, so you might as well use them! And before you protest, Naruto, I know that you're loaded, but I don't want you to have to use your clan funds for village business!" She looked at him sternly until she saw something flash through his eyes.

"I'm the only one left of my clan, Grandma, so why shouldn't I spend it on the village?" Naruto asked, trying desperately to hide the sadness in voice, but failing miserably. That tore at the hearts of both kunoichi.

"Naruto, I'm sure you'll find somebody who loves you one day and will help you start a family," Tsunade said softly, her eyes cutting over toward Ino for the briefest of seconds.

"Come on, Granny, let's get real. No woman in her right mind would ever love me, or have children with me! If she did, I wouldn't blame her for giving it up or hiding it. After all, who wants a monster for a father?" murmured the Sage, sliding headfirst into a deep, dark pit. Both kunoichi's eyes shot wide open at what he just said.

"_Oh my God! Does he know?_" they thought as one while Ino reached over and took his hand gently.

"Don't ever call yourself a monster again! Got it, Naruto?" Ino said softly, yet sternly as she stared into his bright blue eyes, the same ones she felt like she could get forever lost within. "Believe me, there is a woman out there somewhere who will love you with all her heart and will be more than happy to give you lots of kids!"

"If you say so, Ino," Naruto added hopefully. He was trying oh so desperately to claw his way out of the pit.

"I'm sure she's right! Now, both of you get out of here and get some shopping done! I have another appointment in a few minutes. Shoo! Shoo!" Tsunade dismissed them with a wave of her hands. With stars in her eyes at the thought of going shopping on somebody else's dime, Ino yanked Naruto out of his seat and began to drag him toward the door. Tsunade chuckled at the look of absolute terror on Naruto's face….

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"Hello, Shizune," a haggard looking Haruno greeted as she stood before the desk of her fellow apprentice.

"Morning, Sakura," Shizune answered as she finished up the last little bit of her paperwork before looking up. Her mouth dropped open at the appearance of Naruto's ex-wife. "My God, what happened to you?"

"Huh?" Sakura replied as her eyes lost focus and a shiver ran through her body for a second before responding to the older woman. "Oh, nothing. I just haven't had much sleep in the past few days, that's all."

"Ah. The baby still giving you trouble?" the medic behind the desk asked as she watched for Sakura's reaction. "Maybe you should bring him back in and let us check him out?"

"No…no, that's okay," mumbled the pink-haired kunoichi as she refused to make eye contact with Shizune, "the baby's fine! He's finally settled down a bit and is sleeping pretty well at night, except for at feeding time, of course."

"Of course," Shizune agreed, knowing full well what babies were like at night. "Well, you still look exhausted! You really need to start taking better care of yourself. So, what can I do for you?"

"Yeah…I have an appointment with Lady Tsunade…" was all she got out before the door burst open and a rather loud and familiar voice rang out. One that tore at her heart.

"Come on, Ino! Slow down! It's not like the shops are going to close anytime soon!" Naruto whined as Ino dragged him through the doorway out of the Hokage's office.

"Oh, hush! The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can go home and get you some…Oh! Crap!" Ino exclaimed as she and Naruto ground to a sudden halt. Sakura's eyes bulged when she saw the tow of them, one she had hurt badly and one who had punished her for it.

"Ino…," Sakura gasped softly as she saw the two holding hands. The medic was surprised to see Ino's hair down and Naruto's pulled up into a ponytail. The sight of her ex-husband caused another pain to shoot through her heart, "…Naruto."

End of Chapter 13


	14. Chapter 14

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 14

"Sakura," Ino growled through gritted teeth as she felt Naruto lock down into place. The spike of pain that had just shot through her seal angered her greatly as she hissed out, "Or is it Mrs. Uchiha now?"

"N-no, not yet," Sakura stammered as she watched the anger build up within her former best friend. It was that same anger that lead to her current condition. She turned her eyes toward her ex-husband, who refused to meet her gaze. "Hello, Naruto."

"Sakura…,"muttered the heartbroken Sage as he continued to take an interest in his feet. Ino felt the waves of sorrow rise from her friend, and it threatened to smother her.

"How…how are you doing?" asked the former Mrs. Namikaze, only to gasp at the waves of Killer Intent that rolled off the blonde kunoichi, aimed solely at her.

"I'm…I'm okay, I guess," the Kyuubi's jailor mumbled, causing said inmate to growl deeply and start slamming into the bars of his cage.

"Did…did I hear you saying something about going home?" Sakura queried as she felt a lump form in her throat. "Does that mean you two are living together, now?"

"It's not like that, Sakura," Naruto replied, not sure how much longer he could keep from being dragged down into the Pit.

"Yes, I live in the house and take care of Naruto!" Ino growled as she stood nose-to-nose with the pink-haired medic, who flinched at the proximity of her attacker. Flames rose in those light blue eyes, threatening to burn Sakura to a crisp. "It's an assignment from the Hokage: To take care of Naruto, get him back to health, and bring him back to one-hundred percent capacity! As his _friend,_ I would have been happy to do it whether or not Lady Tsunade had assigned it to me! There is nothing going on between us, not like it's any of your business anyway!"

"Nobody in their right mind would have anything to do with me anyway, Sakura. After all, I must have been a pretty lousy husband for you to…do what you did," Naruto added as he fell head first into the Pit, as Depression opened it's arms wide and embraced him like a long-lost lover. All three women in the room grimaced at his words, knowing full well that he had been a wonderful, caring husband.

"Naruto, please don't…," Ino soothed as she reached over and began to rub the hand that she was holding, concern clearly written across her face. Sakura felt a pang of jealousy as she watched the interaction of the two people who had been very close to her until recently. "You were a great husband, don't let this b…..come on! We need to get going!"

"Okay, Ino," replied Naruto softly, all the life that had been so evident in his actions and voice just a few moments prior had now vanished. Ino and Shizune both wanted to scalp the pink-haired harlot right then and there.

"Naruto, wait! Please! Before you go," Sakura pleaded, trying her best to look into his eyes, which he made sure to keep averted. "I just wanted to say…wanted to tell you that I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! I never meant to hurt you! Things just…happened, you know? We….we really want you to stay in our lives! Can you forgive us? Forgive me?" Tears glistened in her eyes as she waited for his answer.

"I….I don't know, Sakura, Naruto responded glumly as he tried so hard to fight down the pain in his heart, "You hurt me worse than anyone has ever done before! I've been beaten, cut, stabbed, burned, kicked, pummeled, tortured…hell, I've even been swallowed by a giant snake! But none of that compares to what you did! It…hurts…so badly! I don't know, Sakura…maybe one day…I just don't know."

All three women were stunned. Naruto was the most forgiving person they had ever met, but for him to say that he couldn't forgive his ex-wife…it startled them. Ino and Shizune were of a mindset that he shouldn't forgive her at all, but it was shocking none the less. As Ino began to drag him off, Sakura placed a hand on his chest to stop their progress.

"Wait, I….I have something for you," the young medic announced as she reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a black cloth with a metal plate attached. "It…it's your headband! Sasuke and his Genin team found it when they cleaned up our…the house. I cleaned it and polished it for you!"

"Uh, thank you, Sakura," Naruto reached out and took the familiar object from his ex-wife's hands. He watched a sad little smile light up her face, which pulled at his heartstrings some more.

"You're welcome," she replied as she watched Ino drag Naruto out of the office and out into the hall. Giving a tired sigh, Sakura turned back around and entered the large wooden doors that lead into the Hokage's office….

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"You wished to see me, Lady Tsunade?" the pink-haired medic asked as she stood at attention before her master's desk. She glanced longingly at the chair that sat on the floor next to her, wishing that her leader would ask her to sit down. So many restless nights were beginning to take their toll on her, so to put it plainly, she was pooped!

"Yes, I do," Tsunade mumbled as she continued to read the scroll in her hands, allowing the young medic to stew in her own juices. She purposely didn't invite her to take a seat, no matter how tired Tsunade knew her to be. Several minutes later, the Hokage rolled the scroll back up and placed it on the desk before her before making eye contact with Sakura.

"So, tell me, Sakura, how are you doing?" Tsunade asked nonchalantly as she used every bit of her willpower to keep from backslapping the current source of Naruto's pain all the way across the room.

"I'm doing okay, just a little tired, I guess," replied the younger kunoichi . Tsunade wasn't one for summoning somebody for small talk, which was really making her nervous. "With the baby and everything…you know?"

"Ah, I've never had the pleasure, myself. Every man who was ever stupid enough to love me has died," the Hokage answered back, drawing a wince from Sakura. She knew that was a touchy subject for her mentor.

"I'm sorry, Lady Hokage," Sakura mumbled and then froze, suddenly realizing that was the absolute wrong thing to say.

"Save your pity, Haruno!" snapped Tsunade as she stood from her chair and began to pace the room. "This isn't about me, but about you and your actions!"

"_Uh oh_," Sakura thought as she felt the cold hand of fear clutch her heart. She had been dreading this meeting, but she knew that it was inevitable once her infidelity was discovered by her master.

"How much longer do you have until you come back off maternity leave?" Tsunade asked briskly as she paced the room. Sakura's green eyes followed her mentor as she continued to pace.

"I have about a month before I can come back to active duty, Lady Hokage," Sakura answered back as respectfully as she could. She could feel the tension surrounding her master, and it was threatening to choke her.

"Excellent. Now, the moment you come back, report to my office for your assignments," the last Senju ordered as she took her seat behind her desk, watching the stunned medic before her.

"A-assignments, Master?" Sakura echoed as she gazed at her teacher wide-eyed.

"Yes, assignments, Haruno! Your time will be split between teaching medical jutsu at the Academy and working at the hospital. Occasionally, you may have to take a field medic team out on missions. You are a ninja, are you not?" Tsunade said as she enjoyed watching Sakura squirm.

"Uh, yes ma'am, I am," the pink-haired medic answered, her expression showing her confusion. "But, Master, if….if I spend all my time teaching and working at the hospital, when will I be able to resume my training with you?"

"You won't be, Sakura," Tsunade answered, her eyes locked onto the green orbs of the young woman standing before her, the same green orbs that now expressed sorrow and heartache. "You are no longer my apprentice!"

"What?!! Master, why?! What have I done to displease you?" Sakura yelped as she balled her fists and leaned over Tsunade's desk, only to be blown backward and into the chair behind her when the Hokage slammed her open palm on her desktop, cracking it.

"What have you done to displease me? Good lord, where do I start?" Tsunade barked mockingly as she stared at the Haruno in disbelief. "Sakura, I told you when you began to train with me that I wanted your total dedication! I wasn't asking for your life, just your dedication! At first, you gave it despite the fact that you were still pining for that traitor. When you and Naruto started dating and eventually got married, I thought that stupid phase was over! You dedicated yourself to your job and your husband, or so I thought!"

"Master, please…," begged Sakura, only to be stopped by Tsunade holding up her hand.

"Do not call me that again, you have no right," the Hokage interrupted, effectively shutting Sakura down. Tears formed in the young medic's eyes, but Tsunade refused to be swayed. "Unfortunately, it seems that you were dedicated only to the Uchiha! Your want and need to get stronger was just so you could help Naruto bring the traitor back. Your love and fidelity to your husband ended when you got your precious Sasuke back! You even fooled your husband into thinking that your baby was his! You were dedicated to help bring the Uchiha Clan back, rather than help your husband build his!"

"I'm so, so sorry, Lady Hokage! Please, give me another chance! I still have so much to learn from you!" Sakura wailed. Her plans for her future were quickly circling the drain.

"You know more than most medics and doctors do, Sakura. Be thankful for that because that is what is going to get you through while you teach your students," Tsunade continued, her hands clasped in front of her. "Like I told the Uchiha , it comes down to a matter of judgment, and the decisions you have made in the recent past shows that your judgment is sorely lacking! A shinobi thinks with their mind, feels with their heart, and doesn't throw everything away by following their damn crotches! If you can't be faithful to your spouse, how in the hell can I expect you to be faithful to my teachings?"

"Naruto," Sakura whispered. She knew that her decision to be with Sasuke rather than him would have some unfortunate consequences, but she never expected this! This was why she wanted to handle it in her own way, and not forced into anything against her will.

"He loved you more than life itself, Haruno," Tsunade seethed, angered by the thought that Sakura would dare to speak his name, "He loved you like I loved Dan! And you threw that away like it was nothing! Do you have anything else to add?"

"No, Lady Hokage," the pink-haired young woman muttered, her eyes downcast as a pall of gloom surrounded her like a thick fog.

"Dismissed!" Tsunade ordered as she watched the younger kunoichi retreat from her office….

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"Naruto, are you alright?" Ino asked as she and the Sage stood outside the front doors of the Nara compound. She had noticed how much more subdued he seemed as the time came closer and closer for them to attend Shikamaru's party.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Ino! Why do you ask?" he replied as he pasted his happy mask back on and gave her a cheesy grin. His fellow blonde wasn't fooled one bit.

"Naruto…," the mind walker sighed as she saw the pain still reflected in his eyes. She had worked so hard to pull him out of his funk after their run-in with Sakura. After dragging him from shop to shop to shop, it was when they had finally stopped at Ichiraku's Ramen stand that his true happy face made it's appearance. Ino worked extra hard the rest of the day to make sure that happy face remained, and it had worked.

"I'm fine, Ino, really! I'm just not used to all this official representative crap yet! I guess I feel kinda like I'm crashing their party!" he lied through his teeth. There was another more depressing reason for his funk. While he was happy for his friends' engagement, it reminded him of his own failed marriage.

"I know you're lying, Foxy," Ino said gently as she turned to him, gazing deep into is eyes and deeper into his soul as she patted his stomach. "We'll talk about it later, okay?"

"Okay, Ino," he smiled sadly, tearing at her heart. "What would I do without you?"

"Let's hope we never find out," she smiled back as the front door opened, revealing the broadly grinning face of Shikamaru Nara.

"Hey, Naruto! Ino! Glad you could make it!" the shadow-user greeted as he reached out and shook Naruto's hand before turning and giving Ino a warm hug. "Man, you two look great! Come on in!"

"Hey, Shikamaru! How's it going?" Naruto asked as their host lead them toward the Main Hall. "I hear that congratulations are in order! It's about you time you actually smartened up and settled down with the Desert Beauty, you lazy bastard!"

"So I hear, so I hear," The Nara heir chuckled as they entered the Main Hall, only to be met by several young squeals.

"Uncle Naruto! Uncle Naruto!" two young voices called out as their owners made a mad dash for the blonde couple. Ino smiled warmly as Naruto bent down and picked Kushina Hyuga and Naruto Umino, spinning them around as the children laughed loudly.

"Hey, Sunshine! Hey, Brat! How are my two favorite troublemakers doing? Been good for your parents?" the Sage asked as he gave Kushina a kiss on the forehead and then gave them both a big hug before setting them back down.

"Yep!" they both answered as little Ruto pulled his wooden kunai out and showed it to him.

"You gave me this!" the little three year old announced, drawing a smile and a pat on the head from the future Hokage.

"I know! Has your daddy been showing you how to use it?" Naruto asked, grinning as he watched the little boy nod his head furiously. "Great! That means you'll grow up to be a very strong ninja!"

"I missed you, Uncle Naruto!" Kushina said sadly as she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his stomach. "I wanted to see you in the hospital, but Mommy wouldn't let me come with her!"

"I missed you too, sweetheart," Naruto replied as he patted the top of her head, "But your mommy was right! You wouldn't have wanted to see me anyway! I hadn't taken a shower in a long time, so I was stinky, and I had whiskers, and…well, let's just say it was kinda gross! Right, Ino?"

"Yes, he was gross! Trust me!" Ino giggled as she saw the look on the children's faces, then glanced up and saw a pair of beautiful women heading in their direction.

"Kushina, dear, why don't you take Ruto over to his parents? I'm sure they're worried about how long he's been gone," the first woman, Hinata, said as she bent down to talk to her daughter.

"Yes, Mommy!" the little Hyuga answered as she took the three-year-old's hand and began to drag him toward his parents. Hinata smiled as she stood back up and wrapped her arms around Naruto's waist.

"Hello, Love," the dark-haired beauty whispered in his ear, just loud enough for him to hear.

"Hello, Princess," he replied, using the pet name he had given her the night they had spent together. These names were known to them, and them alone. Well, for the most part, anyway.

"You really scared me, Naruto," she said seriously as she leaned back and looked him in the eye, unshed tears visible in her pale, lavender orbs. "Don't you dare do that again! If you ever feel that way, make sure to call me!"

"I'm sorry, Hinata! I really didn't mean to…it's just that…," Naruto apologized as Hinata gave him a tight hug and then greeted Ino, leaving room for the other beauty who had walked up with Hinata.

"It's good to see you up and about," Temari said as she wrapped her fellow blonde up in a killer hug. "I'm sorry I missed your party the other day, but I just got back from Suna this morning!"

"Hey, Temari! You look great!" Naruto exclaimed as he held her out at arm's length. She was wearing a short kimono that went down to just below mid-thigh, showing off her spectacular legs. With it's long bell sleeves and wide obi, it was identical in style to the one Ino was wearing, but not the colors. Temari's was teal with a light pink obi, while Ino's was lavender with a white obi. "Wow, Shika is a lucky man!"

"Well, you don't look so bad yourself," Temari replied as a blush lit up her face. The Sage was wearing black, divided hakama with red flames embroidered on the bottom of the legs, with a matching black kimono with matching flames on the sleeve cuffs. His headband was woven into his obi, and his red battle-cloak finished off the outfit. One thing that struck her them most was the fact that his hair was now pulled back into a ponytail, reminding her greatly of Naruto's departed godfather. "You better watch it! Keep flirting with me, and Shika might get angry!"

"Oh, really? What's he gonna do?" the blonde Sage replied as he caught sight of Shikamaru walking toward them, "Gonna use his shadow powers on me and force me to watch clouds until I die of boredom?"

"Naw, even worse, Namikaze," the lazy genius replied as he wrapped his arm around his fiancée's waist, "I'll just tell Ino to never let you have ramen again!"

"You wouldn't dare," Naruto said in mock outrage, only to receive a devious smile and a nod from the Shadow Master. "Man, that's low! Troublesome, so troublesome!"

"I knew you could clean up well, but I didn't expect this!" Temari said as she looked the Sage over once more, "I kinda expected you in something a little less…formal!"

"Yeah, I know! This really isn't me," Naruto grumbled good-naturedly as he looked down at his outfit, "but Ino and Grandma would have knocked the snot outta me if I had showed up in anything less than this!"

"Why would Lady Tsunade be upset?" Temari asked, the same question on Hinata's and Shikamaru's minds as well. Ino did her best to stifle a giggle.

"Uh, well, I'm kinda here as her…uh…representative," Naruto mumbled the last part. Three sets of eyes shot open wide at the news.

"So, that means…," Hinata started.

"…that it's official?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow as he studied the two blondes before him. One was clearly embarrassed while the other was having a hard time trying to conceal her mirth.

"Uh, yeah," Naruto replied sheepishly.

"All right, Naruto!!" Temari cheered and wrapped him up in another hug.

"Oh, Naruto! I'm so proud of you!" Hinata added as she, too, hugged him once more.

"Well damn! Congratulations, man!" Shikamaru blurted out, thoroughly confusing Naruto. He had NEVER seen Shikamaru showing that much emotion or displaying so much energy before. NEVER.

"Yeah, thanks folks! But can we keep this kinda quiet? This is your night, after all, not mine," the Sage replied, drawing a happy smile from Ino. "Besides, this was the only way I was able to come to this swanky affair! I never got an invitation!" Naruto grinned evilly as Shikamaru turned pale when Temari snapped around and shot him a look that could scare Orochimaru.

"Shika, dear, I thought you said that you sent out all the invitations," Temari said in her sweetest voice, causing everyone within earshot to freeze as the Nara heir visibly gulped.

"Aw crap!" Shikamaru yelped as he spun on his heel and tore out of there as fast as is feet could take him, his angry fiancée hot on is heels.

"Nara! You lazy bastard! Just wait until I get my hands on you!" Temari bellowed while Naruto, Hinata, and Ino were in the middle of fits of laughter.

"Naruto, that was so mean!" Hinata giggled as she placed one dainty hand over her mouth. Naruto smiled back. "I know that you got your invitation!"

"I know, but that's what he gets for threatening my ramen!" he guffawed as Ino crept beside him and whispered in his ear, raising goose-bumps on his neck until he heard what she said.

"Just for that, Foxy, no ramen for a week!" Ino smirked when she saw the look on his face.

"WHAT?! Aw, come on, Tigger! That just ain't fair!" whined the pale Sage as the two beautiful women grabbed his hands and dragged him into the party……

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The party progressed and Naruto found himself beginning to relax and enjoy himself, much to the delight of the two kunoichi who cared very deeply for him. All that changed, however, when Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno arrived fashionably late, hand-in-hand with one another. Seeing how Shikamaru was the heir to his clan, and Temari was the sister of the current Kazekage, Shikamaru's mother made sure that invitations went out to all the clan heads. Unfortunately, that included the Uchiha Clan, as well.

Naruto's mood took an immediate nosedive, but he quickly slapped his happy mask back on, but not before Hinata and Ino took notice. Between the two of them, they managed to keep the Toad Sage's former teammates away from him for most of the night, but when Sakura and Sasuke began to actively pursue him, he had enough. After congratulating the happy couple one last time, Naruto beat a hasty retreat out the door, followed closely by a very worried Ino. Shikamaru and Temari were both livid that the Uchiha and his girlfriend were there, but their anger grew to epic proportions when they realized that the two intruders were the cause of their friends' early departure. It wasn't too much longer before Sasuke and Sakura left, as well.

Ino was beside herself with worry, having felt Naruto's pain through their link. It was overwhelming as Ino cursed. Every time she managed to get Naruto to start feeling better, one or both of his old teammates would show up to screw things up. However, what worried Ino now was the fact that her friend had managed to vanish before she made it outside.

"I swear, I gonna wind up killing those two before this is over," she muttered darkly as she ran to check all of Naruto's favorite locations in a desperate search to find the hurting Sage. Ichiraku's was the first stop, followed quickly by the Team 7 training grounds, the swings outside the Academy, and the top of the Hokage Monument. Ino was beginning to panic when she stopped and mentally slapped herself. There was one place she hadn't tried yet.

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"Naruto?" she called out softly as she unlocked the front door of the Namikaze house and quietly walked in. "Naruto, are you here?"

Ino didn't have to search very long for as she walked into the living room , there he lay upon the sofa, clad only in his black boxers and t-shirt. His battle cloak, kimono, and hakama were scattered across the room, and several empty bottles of sake were sitting on the floor in front of him. Wrapped up in his arms was his little stuffed fox, and he was shivering slightly.

A tear slid down the kunoichi's face, marring her exquisite beauty as she bent down, picked up his battle cloak, and lovingly placed it over him to quell his shivers. Ino fell to her knees and began to stroke his hair, a sad smile on her face as he gently moaned at her touch.

"It's okay, baby, it's okay," she whispered as she continued to sooth the one who unknowingly owned her heart. "We'll get you through this, I promise!" With that, she bent down and kissed his forehead, and then ever so softly, his lips.

"Hmm…Ino?" Naruto mumbled groggily as he cracked open one bloodshot eye and gazed upon the blonde goddess before him. He immediately noticed the tears that slid down her cheeks.

"Hey, Foxy," she said softly as she continued to smile at him and stroke his hair. "How are you doing? You kinda scared me some when you took off like that! You should have waited for me, you know?"

"I'm sorry, Ino," he muttered, the effects of the alcohol clearly evident in his voice. "I always seem to hurt you…make you cry…I'm worthless…you should give up…on me…I'm scum…," his voice faded out as his one open eye closed shut once more.

"Hush! I think you're worth it," she admonished gently, "Come on, let's get you to bed, unless you want to sleep here all night?" Naruto slowly opened his eyes as he began to struggle to get up. Ino took his hands and helped him up, and with a little bit of a struggle, managed to get him to his bedroom and into bed.

"Goodnight, baby," she whispered as she tucked him in, and turned to leave. Just as she reached for the door and opened it, she heard several muffled sobs.

"Please don't leave me!" the leaden voice called out from the bed, obviously already in the throes of a nightmare. Ino froze on the spot, her eyes wide as she slowly turned back around and watched the tears pour from his closed eyes, great and terrible sobs wracking his body. Ino's heart broke as she quickly rushed to his side. "I don't want to be alone again!"

"Shh, it's okay…it's okay," the mind-walker whispered as she began to stroke his hair again. "You're not alone! I'll never leave you, that's a promise of a lifetime!"

Once Ino's words and soothing touch filtered through Naruto's alcohol-soaked brain, his tears and moans stopped. Smiling shyly, the blonde mind-walker slowly stood back up and began to untie the sash that held her kimono closed. She allowed it to fall to the floor, followed closely by the dress itself as it slowly slid off her shoulders and fell in a heap at her feet. Now clad only in her silky lavender panties and matching bra, Ino continued to watch Naruto as she reached behind and unfastened the clasp holding her bra together. It, too, quickly joined the growing pile of clothing on the floor.

She stood for a moment and wished that he was awake so as to enjoy the show she was giving, but she knew that if he was, she would have been much too nervous and shy to do so. While she still had urges like any other woman, her experience with her ex-boyfriend had several mental and emotional scar which had yet to heal properly.

After shaking herself from her reverie, Ino quickly walked over to Naruto's chest-of-drawers and pulled out a t-shirt, quickly putting it on. It was just long enough to cover her pantied butt, and looked kinda cute on her, if she did say so herself. She quietly crawled into the other side of Naruto's bed and cuddled up to the sleeping Sage, just as he began to whimper once again.

"Shh, I'm here now, it'll be okay," she whispered as he became quiet once more and fell into a deep slumber as the blonde beauty in his bed sprawled out and held him for the rest of the night.

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Ino awoke early the next morning, pleased to find that her bedmate was still dozing. She stretched as she remembered the most wonderful dream, smiling brightly until she noticed that a certain article of clothing was a bit damp, the same article of clothing that had been rubbing against Naruto's leg all night long.

Rather red-faced, Ino quickly shot out if the bed and into her room to grab a change of clothing before rushing into the bathroom for a long shower. She was rather disturbed and mortified at her body's reaction to sleeping next to her friend. She hadn't had a dream like that since before she dated Hiro, and she never had that sort of reaction before.

After cleaning and calming herself, Ino quickly retreated back to Naruto's room to retrieve her clothes, then went to the living room to pick up his before waking him up for an extra-special bowl of breakfast ramen, despite the fact she had told him yesterday that he couldn't have any for a week. The smile on his face was more than enough thanks for the seriously smitten kunoichi.

Unfortunately for both of them, the week just went downhill from there. When they went to Choji's engagement party the next day, once again everyone was delighted to see Naruto and Ino, and Choji felt honored that the personal representative of the Hokage there to bless the occasion. However, once again, invitations had been sent to all the clan heads, thus Sasuke and Sakura both made an appearance like before. After dodging them for a couple of hours, Naruto beat a hasty retreat home, where Ino found him sitting on the sofa, watching a show about monstrous robots fighting off beings of light. The blonde bombshell quickly changed into a t-shirt and shorts and snuggled into her friend's side for the rest of the evening until bedtime.

Friday was the day of Neji's and Tenten's party, and since they were not heirs to any clan, the leaders of other clans were not automatically invited, much to the young couple's relief. Hinata herself helped the make out the invitation list, sending them out only to family and friends. When she handed the list off to her secretary to have the invitations printed and sent out, Hinata specifically told her that Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno were NOT invited to the party, and then left the secretary to her own devices.

Unfortunately, this secretary was a former Uchiha fan girl, and she just KNEW that Lady Hinata was mistaken and had misspoke. Being the good little secretary she was, she had to make sure any mistakes were corrected, so she promptly added Sasuke's name to the top of the list, since he and Sakura were two of Konoha's most prominent citizens. She briefly thought about crossing out Naruto's name, but she remembered that her clan leader used to have a thing for the 'demon', so she let it slide and took the list to the printers.

When Friday evening rolled around, Neji, Tenten, and Hinata all stood at the front door and greeted their guests. This time, Naruto and Ino arrived a little early and were warmly greeted by the happy couple and the Hyuga Lady. It wasn't too long before Kushina walked in and promptly tackled Naruto, dragging him off behind the house to show him the progress she had made on activating her Byakugan. Delighted squeals filled the air as Naruto picked his daughter up and set her up on his shoulders, giving her a 'battle-toad' ride. It filled Ino's heart with such warmth to see Naruto so happy. The blonde kunoichi giggled like crazy at the sight of the mighty Toad Sage jumping around the backyard like a fool with the little six year old on his back, guiding his leaps.

The evening progressed extremely well as friend and family all gave congratulations and gifts to Neji and Tenten as Hinata made her way around the affair, acting as the perfect hostess. The buffet tables were set up, piled high with all manner of great foodstuffs, especially the ten different kinds of ramen that had been laid out by Teuchi Ichiraku, who was catering the event. Naruto and Kushina both stopped playing, standing there transfixed, as if they were staring into the very gates of Heaven itself. Puddles of drool began to form under their feet. Sighing in exasperation, Ino marched over and grabbed Naruto by the ear and dragged him away from the heavenly delights, drawing laughter from their friends and complaints from the sage himself. Kushina grinned, thinking that she had the whole table to herself until she was whisked away, under protest, by her Uncle Neji.

About halfway through the evening, a servant rushed over to Hinata and whispered urgently in her ear. A frown set itself upon her beautiful face as she quickly left and followed the servant toward the front of the house. Naruto, being the Hokage's official representative as well as quite nosy, took off after Hinata, followed quickly by Ino, Neji, and Tenten. What they saw when they got to the front door stopped them in their tacks.

"What are you doing here, _Lord_ Uchiha? You are not welcome at this gathering!" Hinata demanded as the other four stood there in shock.

"Really? Then why do I have an invitation here with mine and Sakura's name on it, Lady Hyuga?" Sasuke asked, a bit annoyed that they were being barred access to the festivities. He held the invitation up for Hinata to see, and much to her dismay, it was official with Sasuke's and Sakura's names clearly printed on the top.

"Who would have invited you, Uchiha? We made absolutely sure the _you_ were not on the list!" Neji growled as Tenten reached over and took his hand to try to calm him.

"We don't know, Neji, but as you can see, we were invited," Sakura replied, trying to act the peacemaker. She and Sasuke looked forward to going to the parties as it gave them a chance to forget the awful memories of Naruto's that continued to plague them. Plus, it gave them a chance to try to talk to their former teammate.

"Yes, I can see that you were, " Hinata sighed as she stood to the side and let the couple in. The Hyuga Clan was known for it's adherence to protocol, just as Hinata herself was famous for her graciousness and good manners. To refuse entry to someone who was clearly invited was a grave insult. "Please, come in and welcome to our home."

"Thank you!" Sakura said as she and Sasuke walked in and immediately spotted the blonde couple standing behind Neji and Tenten. "Naruto! Can we talk to you for a little while?"

"_Not again!_" the Sage thought as he placed his hands on the engaged coupled shoulders. "Hey guys! It's been a fun party, and you two have been very gracious hosts! May the blessing of the Hokage and the Will of Fire help to seal and sanctify this union!"

"Thanks, Naruto!" Tenten said as she turned around and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "That means so much to us, coming from you!"

"You're more than welcome, Tenten!" Naruto replied as he stuck his hand out to Hinata's cousin. "Neji…"

"Thanks, Naruto," Neji shook his hand while looking square in the eye. "Thanks for coming, and for the blessing! I'm sorry things have turned out this way…."

"It's not your fault, so don't worry!" answered the Sage as he turned toward Ino, purposely ignoring the latecomers. "I'm going to head back to the house, you can stay if you want to, Ino. I know how you love a good party!" His happy mask covered the raging sea of dark emotions that were churning within his very core. Ino felt every one of them.

"But I love…," was all she was able to get out before Naruto vanished in a gust of wind, "…you more!" Sakura's jaw hit the ground at what Ino had just said while a peaceful smile graced Hinata's lips.

"Ino! What did you just say?" Sakura gasped as Killer Intent the likes of which she had never felt before radiated from the blonde kunoichi.

"Why can't you two just leave him alone?!" Ino growled as a tear escaped the corner of her eye and traveled down her cheek. "Haven't you two done enough? Do you have to keep tormenting him like you do?"

"What are you talking about, Ino? All we want to do is talk to him! What the hell kind of right do you have saying this kind of crap to us?! We're his teammates, after all! I'm his wife…," Sakura stopped when Ino exploded.

"Ex-teammates!! Ex-wife!!! Don't you get it? He doesn't want to see either of you! You two are the source of his pain! I see it everyday! Every time I get him to feeling better, you two show up and tear him apart again!" Ino barked, causing both offenders to flinch. They remember the pain she inflicted upon them for their crimes.

"Why do you care so much, Ino?" Sakura asked quietly, dreading the answer.

"Because I love him, you stupid bitch!" Ino roared, causing Sakura to take several steps back. Shock and jealousy was clear in Sakura's expression as what Ino had just announced finally set in. " I don't love him because of what he can do to bring someone back, I don't love him as a substitute, and I don't love him so I can have someone around to bully!"

"Then why do you love him, Ino?" Sakura wondered as Ino's words slowly sank into her brain. Everything that Ino had said she didn't love him for were the exact reasons why Sakura had loved him. Sakura felt lower than trash.

"I love him for who and what he is! He is Naruto Namikaze, the warmest, kindest, most loving person I have ever met! He picks me up when I feel like crap, he places the needs of everyone else over his own, he makes me feel like the center of the universe, he listens to me and never makes me feels small, he….he…God, I gotta go find him!" Ino said as she turned toward the Hyugas and Tenten. "Hinata, I apologize for my outburst, I shouldn't have done that in your home! Neji, Tenten, congratulations! It was a lovely party!"

"It's okay, Ino," Hinata whispered as she gave her friend a big hug, "Go find him! Go tell him!"

"I'll try," she replied as she turned back toward Sasuke and Sakura, flames shooting from her eyes, "You two just do not understand, do you? Things between you three will never be the same! After what you two have done, you'll never be teammates again, you'll never be friends again, you'll never be close again, and as far as I'm concerned, you'll never hurt him again! For just once in your miserable lives, quit being selfish and give him time to heal!" Ino quickly sped out the front door, leaving Sakura standing there with tears in her eyes, and Sasuke with a downtrodden look on his face. Reality had just walked up and slapped the hell out of both of them.

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True to his word, Ino found Naruto at home, watching TV with an empty bottle of sake in his hand. The young mind-walker quickly changed into her standard comfy clothes of a t-shirt and shorts, pulled her hair out of it's ponytail, and went into the kitchen to make them both some tea. She never even gave it any thought, but Naruto was the only person, outside of her parents, that she felt comfortable around enough to relax and just be herself. She didn't feel the pressure to be an ultra-sexy kunoichi, or to be the life of the party around him. He made her feel special by just being herself. Naruto had that kind of power, the power to take the most boisterous, loud kunoichi in Konoha and make her feel special with just a word, a gesture, or a glance.

"You didn't have to come home, you know? You could have stayed and enjoyed yourself," Naruto said as Ino handed him a cup of tea before she crawled up beside him and began to sip hers. "Thanks."

"Do you really think that I would want to stay at a party that those two were at?" she asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked at him over the rim of her cup. "Besides, without you there, a party just isn't any fun! And you're welcome!"

"Sad part is, all that wonderful ramen will go to waste!" he pouted as his cheeks grew red at Ino had just said. "Maybe tomorrow, I can take you out to Ichiraku's and we can get a couple of bowls together. That way I can kinda make it up to you…"

"Hold on to that thought," Ino said with a sad smile as she reached over and placed a finger on his lips to silence him. "_This sucks, he finally asks me out on a date, and I have to turn him down!_" she thought. "I really wish I could, Naruto, but my mom isn't feeling well, and I promised her I'd look after the shop for her until she and Daddy come back from the doctor. I'm sorry!"

"It's alright," Naruto replied as he slid his mask back on, but he couldn't hide the hurt that shot from his seal to hers. "_She probably wouldn't want to be seen with me on a date anyway!_" he thought. The Fox rolled his eyes at his host's angst.

"_Crap! Now I've gone and hurt his feelings!_" Ino sighed mentally. "_Well, I know how to fix that!_" With a grin and a wink, Ino pulled a small scroll from behind her back, one that she and Hinata had made up just special for him, and placed it in his hand. He looked at it quizzically.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, scared of what actually might be in the thing. He had learned the hard way that Ino was a natural born prankster, much like himself.

"Well? Open it, silly! It's not gonna bite!" Ino smirked, enjoying the look on his face.

"Okay," he sighed as he broke the seal and unrolled it. In a large puff of smoke, ten huge bowls of various ramen appeared on the coffee table. Naruto's jaw dropped and his mouth watered at the sight.

"Surprise! I was going to save this for tomorrow, since I was going to be stuck in the shop, but since you were a good boy and didn't attack the ramen table, I'll go ahead and let you have them!" Ino's heart lightened as she watched the sheer joy spread across the Sage's face.

"Wow! Thanks, Ino! You're the best!" Naruto chirped as he turned and gave the blonde bombshell a huge hug before he began to dig into the assorted treasure before him. Just as he was about to take his first bite, he turned and looked at the smiling kunoichi sitting beside him. "Would you like some? I know that neither of us were able to eat at the party, so I'm sure that you're starving!"

"No, that's okay! Hinata and I made this up especially for…," Ino was cut off as her stomach let loose a loud growl. The pretty blonde blushed as her counterpart smirked knowingly. "Well, since you asked….." Together, the two blondes began to wolf down the assorted noodles.

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	15. Chapter 15

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 15

Despite how poorly the rest of the week had been, Naruto had always had Ino there beside him to cheer him up and to make him feel better. Saturday, however, was going to be a royal pain in the ass. By the time Naruto woke up on Saturday morning, Ino had already left for the flower shop. After showering and putting on some comfortable clothes, Naruto padded off into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat. When he spotted the kitchen table, he noticed a covered dish sitting on top with a cute little note on the side that said 'Eat me!'

"Hmph! I wish!….No, no, no, no!! Bad Naruto!" Naruto fought to control the perverted thoughts that Ino's naughty little joke had forced into his brain. Being in his early twenties, sometimes it was a difficult thing to do, especially when a gorgeous blonde was involved! One that had a beautiful face, a perfect figure, a sweet personality, sexy legs and accepted him for who he was. Sighing deeply and lifting the lid, he discovered a huge stack of hot, fresh pancakes smothered in syrup and covered in sliced strawberries.

"Wow! Alright! Man, she really is the best! I need to think of a great way to thank her!" Naruto exclaimed as her dove into the stack with gusto usually only seen when he has been deprived of his precious ramen for days at a time. Within just a few minutes, the breakfast was demolished as Naruto sat back and patted his bloated stomach, a loud belch resounding throughout the quiet house.

Sitting around doing nothing to do was something that Naruto hated, it drove him nuts, and this was one reason he really, really hated hospitals so much. You aren't allowed to do anything when you're stuck in one of those accursed places. So, after sharpening all his weapons, Naruto sat on his sofa with nothing to do as his stereo droned on in the background, playing some sort of over-processed, prepackaged, mind-numbing pop music that is used to stupefy the masses. Naruto believed that it was created by the remaining members of ROOT to try to covertly take over control of Konoha, but when ever he voiced that opinion to Ino, she would cross her arms and stick her tongue out at him. It seems she loved that kind of crap.

Shaking his head to regain his senses, he remembered the scrolls of his father's, as well as Jiraiya's, that he had been studying off and on earlier in the week. Whenever he and Ino got any spare time, they would break out the rather important documents and pour over them for hours on end, not even noticing the time passing by as they enjoyed each other's company and stared in awe at the sheer genius that was represented with ink and parchment. Jumping up, he ran to desk to begin his studies once more….

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Ino Yamanaka was bored silly as she stood behind the counter of her parent's flower shop. Her mom and dad had told her that they would be back as soon as possible when they left for her mother's doctor appointment. Sighing, she turned her head and stared out the front shop window, wondering what her housemate was dong right then.

After the two of them finished all the ramen last night, they sat back and enjoyed a sappy old movie on TV. That was one thing they shared in common that would have startled everyone else that knew them: their love of old movies. By the time it was over, it was late into the night as they sat side-by-side enjoying each other's company. Ino was snuggled into Naruto's side as his arm was draped over her shoulders, holding her gently. Normally, Ino would slug any guy that tried that with her, but with Naruto, it felt natural. She felt safe and warm in his arms, and she knew that he was too much of a gentleman to try anything untoward on her, despite how much she would have liked him to do so. They both were in a much better mood when, unfortunately, they went to their separate bedrooms. Ino's dreams that night were most…pleasant.

The blonde mind-walker stifled a yawn when she felt a strange tingling sensation in her stomach, followed quickly by a large surge of happiness. Ino smirked, knowing that Naruto had just found her note and the little present she had left for him……..

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It was early in the afternoon, and Naruto hadn't made much progress studying the scrolls. His mind kept wondering as thoughts of his fellow blonde kept invading his head. It was so much easier when Ino was there with him, he found her presence comforting, and she possessed a strength that easily passed over to him. He found it so much easier to study, or to do any other boring activity, with her around. Of course, it didn't help much that the Fox would send certain images to the forefront of his mind, such as when Ino was snuggled up to him on either the sofa or the bed, or glimpses of her sexy legs, or gorgeous face.

"Stupid fox," he muttered as he heard the Kyuubi's laughter rumble in the background of his mind. Sighing heavily, Naruto rolled the scrolls back up and put them away before leaning back in his chair. He thought about Ino and how much she had helped him since all this garbage had started over two months ago. Ino, the blonde bombshell that had found him and saved his life. The one that sat there with him as he lay near lifeless in that room. The one who dove into his mind and confronted the Fox and the terrible memories of his life. The one who pieced his shattered mind back together and was there for him when he woke up, only to be accosted by his ex-wife soon after. The one who stayed with him all the time and helped him claw his way out of the yawning chasm of Depression that constantly threatened to swallow him.

The one he was beginning to have very strong feelings for, feelings that he knew that he shouldn't have.

"Man, I really need to find a cool way of thanking her," the Sage declared as he stood from his chair and walked back to his room to change into his normal street clothes. One he had changed, he was out the door and heading down the sidewalk as he thought about all the things, big and little, that Ino had done for him since Tsunade had assigned her to help him. Naruto froze in mid-step as he felt an ice-cold dagger bury itself in his chest.

"Assignment? What….what if she's just being so nice to me because Grandma ordered her to?" Naruto wondered as he felt cold arms reach out and embrace him.

"**Oh no**," growled the Great Fox from deep within his cage. He sent a small surge of chakra towards the seal on the Sage's belly.

"_Yeah, that's probably it. Ino's my friend and all, but she has her own life, and she wouldn't voluntarily put that on hold just to help someone like me_," Naruto thought miserably as he looked up and realized that he was heading in the direction of the flower shop. "_I was going to go see her, but this is the only day she's had to get away from me, so I guess I'll just leave her alone_."

"**Shit!**" the Kyuubi exclaimed as he continued to send waves of chakra to the seal while Naruto, his head hanging low and his hands in his pockets, turned and wondered off in a random direction. "**Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit!!**"

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"Thank you and come again!" Ino chirped cheerfully as she watched a happy young couple walk out with a large bouquet of flowers. The second they were out the door, her smile dropped as a look of concern plastered itself on her exquisite face. She felt the first shock of his pain just a few moments prior and it worried her greatly, seeing how she knew for a fact that he had been very happy just a few hours earlier. Ino chewed her bottom lip as she held herself, wishing that it was a certain blonde Sage that was doing it.

"Baby, what's wrong?" she whispered as her light blue eyes stared out the front window of the shop, hoping, waiting, praying for some sort of sign that Naruto was alright….

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Naruto's day continued to get worse and worse as he walked down the streets with his head hanging low. It was bad enough to still be getting glares from a few of the people after all this time, despite everything that he had done for the village. However, what really got to him were the whispers. As he and the Kyuubi moved closer and closer to the day that he would totally absorb the Fox, his senses were all beginning to heighten to a tremendous degree, of course his Sage training didn't help much either.

He could now see in the near-Infrared part of the spectrum at will, allowing him to have spectacular night vision, better than even and Uchiha or a Hyuga especially since he didn't have to burn any chakra to use it. His sense of smell was now much more acute than an Inuzuka's could ever hope to be, and the whisker marks on his face could now detect the displacement of air from something being thrown at him before any of his other senses could react. Unfortunately, all of his senses but one could be tampered down until such time as he needed it: his sense of hearing. And it was that sense that was driving him insane right now. It was the whispers that were currently getting to him.

"Hah! Look at him! The stupid demon looks so sad!"

"Poor guy! I hear he lost his wife to the Uchiha!"

"His wife is a fucking whore! How could anyone leave someone who looks so fine?"

"Aw, poor demon lost his mate! Hah!"

"I heard he was rotten in the sack, so she dumped him!"

"Man, to be screwed over by your wife and your best friend! That sucks!"

"Goddamn bastard deserves it after what he did to our village twenty years ago!"

"They say he's hung like a horse! I'd love to have a cock like that drilling me into the bed every night!"

"You hear that he's sleeping with a Yamanaka? I bet that's why his wife divorced him!"

"He's so cute! I'd go out with him in a heartbeat!"

"Fucking monster!"

"Why would someone as sexy as Ino Yamanaka want to have anything to do at all with that loser?"

Naruto did everything he could to block the words out, but nothing seemed to work, so he kept on walking to get away from them.

"**Don't listen to them, kit!" **Kyuubi urged, but the fog of Depression continued to cling to Naruto.

"Shut up, Fox," he muttered softly. "They're right, you know?"

"**Aw crap**," the Kitsune grumbled as he flicked his tails back and forth in a very agitated manner. "**Why don't you go get some ramen? It's past lunchtime and you haven't eaten since breakfast!**"

"Yeah. Ramen. That's a good idea," Naruto said to himself as he turned down the next intersection and began to make his way to Ichiraku's. Moment's later, he stopped dead in his tracks as he watched Teuchi, Ayame, Iruka, and little Ruto walk out of the small restaurant. Teuchi placed a 'Closed for the Day' sign up as he and his family walked off together with picnic baskets in hand.

"Family," Naruto sighed, his eyes clouding over, "It must be nice. Damn, even ramen is denied me!"

"**Why don't you go see to your pale-eyed ladies?**" the Fox asked, hoping that seeing and spending time with his daughter would help to bring him out of his funk. He felt Naruto brighten a bit as he took off for the Hyuga compound….

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Ino sat on the stool behind the shop's main counter, her legs bouncing up and down as she nervously chewed on her thumbnail. She had been getting flashes of how Naruto had been feeling all day long, and it was worrying her something fierce.

"Come on, Mom and Dad! Get back so I can go check on him," she muttered softly as she continued to look out the front window, worrying herself silly.

"Oh, screw this!! I can't take it anymore!" Ino barked as she made a familiar hand-sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" She felt slightly light-headed as suddenly half her chakra was pulled from her body to create her doppelganger.

"Hey! What's up?" Ino-clone asked as she looked at the worried face of her creator. "Naruto?"

"Yeah," Ino replied as she kept biting her thumbnail. "He's hurting pretty badly right now, and I'm so worried about him! I need you to go find him and make sure he's okay! As soon as you find out, dispel to let me know what's going on! I'd do it myself…."

"But you promised to watch the shop for Mom and Dad. Gotcha!" the clone finished as she gave Ino a salute and dashed out the door.

"Lord, just please let him be alright!" Ino prayed as she put her happy face back on for another customer who had just walked in. "Hello, and welcome to Yamanaka Flowers……"

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"Hello, Lord Namikaze! How may I help you today?" the guard outside the Hyuga compound asked politely as Naruto walked up to the main gate.

"Come on, Omi, how many times do I have to tell you?" Naruto replied with a cheesy grin, one that was quickly matched by the guard.

"Alright, Naruto! What can I do for you?" Omi asked, much friendlier this time. He and so many others in the Branch House owed the Toad Sage a great debt.

"I just came by to see if Hinata and Kushina are at home," Naruto confessed sheepishly, looking quite embarrassed, "I have the day off and I was kinda hoping that I could spend it with them?"

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Omi replied sadly as he saw the disappointment in his friend's eyes. "Lady Hyuga and her daughter left earlier today and I don't know when they're due back."

"Oh well, that's okay," Naruto said as he did his best to hide his disappointment. "I'll just have to catch them some other time! By the way, how's the…," Naruto wiggled his eyebrows as he scratched his forehead. Omi grinned like a fool, which was easy to do when Naruto was around.

"Oh, it's just doing just fine! You can hardly tell it's there!" the Hyuga guard whispered conspiratorially toward the grinning Sage.

"Good! That's the way it's supposed to work!" Naruto replied, not even stopping to think about how many Hyuga were in his debt. When Hinata became the head of the Hyuga Clan, she came to Naruto to ask for his help with the Caged Bird Seal. He quickly agreed and came up with the False Cage Seal. In groups of two and three, Hinata would bring Branch members to Naruto's house, where he would first remove the original seal, and then place his on the person. It looked identical to the true seal, however, if any Main Branch member decided to activate anyone's seal, the most the Branch member would feel was a soft tickle between their eyes. This was their cue to start screaming in pain. "Well, see you later, Omi!"

"Take care, Naruto!" the young Hyuga said as he watched the sad shinobi walk away……

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Naruto sat upon the Hokage Monument, specifically on the great stone representation of Minato Namikaze, his father, and gazed over the village of Konoha with sad eyes. This day was just getting worse and worse for the young Sage. After he had left the Hyuga compound, Naruto continued to wonder around the village. It was late spring, so the weather hadn't gotten hot yet allowing all the young couples to come out and enjoy spending time outside with one another. Families flocked to the parks, enjoying picnics and playing games with each other as their young children ran around screaming like kids do.

Naruto had been sitting in the park with a sad smile on his face as he watched the world going by. Eventually, he began to spot people that he knew as they made their way to the large patch of grassy paradise. Shikamaru and Temari walked by hand-in-hand and waved to him, as did eventually Neji and Tenten, as well as Choji and his ladylove, Aoi. He was happy for his friends, but inside his heart was shredding. He had no one to share his life with, nor did he have a child he could claim as his own. In the brief time he and Sakura had been together, he had forgotten the pain of being alone, foolishly thinking that the two of them would have been together forever. Naruto had snorted at the sentiment before he froze on the spot.

There, before his eyes, walked the two who had torn his life asunder. Sasuke and Sakura walked so casually into the park, hand-in-hand, neither knowing nor caring who might have been watching. The Uchiha carried a picnic basket in his freehand while Sakura held a baby carrier in hers. The two of them looked so happy as they found a nice place in the grass and spread out their blanket. Naruto had watched as various people stood up, walked over, and shook Sasuke's hand. Most of these folks were older citizens of Konoha who still hated Naruto with a passion, and were more than happy to see Sasuke stick it to the 'demon'. They would talk to the couple for few minutes before bending over and coo at the baby as they got ready to depart.

"_That should have been me_," Naruto thought as his breathing grew more and more ragged as he watched how happy the young couple seemed to be. "_That should have been us!"_

The Sage had felt that hated burning begin behind his eyes and had fought with all his might to fend off the threatening moisture. He wasn't going to allow all those people in the park the pleasure of seeing him break down. Just as he began to get himself back under control, he saw his former teammates look up in his direction.

"Shit!" he muttered as he vanished in a gust of wind, just as a baby began to cry in the distance, forcing Sasuke and Sakura to tend to their fussing son…..

"It's not fair, Dad," Naruto whispered as he watched the village. The sun was beginning to set as the lights began to flicker on inside the houses and shops that made up the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Inside, families were beginning to sit down and have dinner together, telling each other how their days had gone. "It's just not fair!"

Unbeknownst to the wounded Sage, Ino's clone was hidden in the shrubs nearby. He was so lost in his misery that he had failed to notice that she was there. Tears poured down her cheeks as she listened and watched her target.

"I guess Neji was right all along, there really is a destiny. It seems that mine is to always be alone," Naruto muttered as he hung his head low. "First you and Mom, then the Old Man, then Kakashi and Pervy Sage, and finally…my wife and son."

"Naruto," the clone said sadly. She knew she needed to let Ino know what was going on, but she refused to leave him alone like everyone else.

"I'm going to be the Sixth Hokage, Dad. Grandma told me earlier in the week. It was always my dream, you know, to follow in your footsteps, especially after finding out that you were my father. But, please don't be disappointed in me, but I would give it up in heartbeat to have a family! Hell, I'd quit being a ninja all together if I had to!"

"Man, I don't know what's worse: never having love, or losing it? I always yearned for love and acceptance as a child but the pain of losing it….definitely worse!" Naruto mumbled as he reached down and touched the rock beneath him. He knew it was a stupid thing to do, but it made him feel closer to his father. "I know that makes me a piss poor excuse for a ninja, allowing my emotions to screw me up like this, and I know that you're probably disappointed in me, but…it just hurts so damn much! I think even the gods are against me, I tried so hard to end my pain, only to be brought back from the brink! If I thought it would do any good…"

"Oh no!" Ino's clone gasped as she dispelled herself to let her creator know what was going on with the object of their affection….

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By the end of the day, Ino was a nervous wreck, as Naruto's emotions slowly filtered into her heart through the Fox Seal on her belly. She had nibbled her poor thumbnail down to the quick, and her bottom lip was sore from as much as she had been chewing on it. She was so worried about her friend that she was unable to concentrate on her job. The young mind-walker had managed to drop and shatter two rather expensive vases, and had messed up several flower arraignments because of her concern for the distant Sage. There was even a time or two that she became so flustered that she screwed up her greeting enough that customers thought that she was drunk. If she hadn't promised her parents that she would mind the store, she'd be off in a flash.

"Wellow and helcome to Yamaflower's Naka's…I mean hello and welcome to Yamanaka's Flowers," Ino called out as she heard the bell ring above the shop door. She looked up from behind the counter and straight into the faces of her very confused parents.

"Uh, Ino, are you okay?" Inochi asked as he looked at his frazzled young daughter. "You didn't get into the sake today, did you?"

"Huh? No! I've just got…a few things on my mind, that's all!" Ino protested as she gave her father a false smile. "So, what did the doctor say? You two were gone for an awful long time! Is everything okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," her mother replied with a wave of her hand, "he just said that I have a little touch of that bug that's been going around and that I should be okay in a day or so! So, your very sweet father took me out to lunch and then over to that nice spa you like so much to work out my aches and pains. It was wonderful!"

"So you spent the whole day at the spa?!" Ino asked, one eyebrow raised and a vein bulging on her forehead. Both of the older Yamanakas grinned like fools.

"Yes, and it made me feel so much better!" replied her mother as she stretched like a cat, then noticed the look her daughter was giving her. "Well, we knew that you're going to start your new job Monday, so we decided to make a day of it while we could! After all, you won't be able to help in the shop anymore."

"True, but I've spent the whole day worrying about you and…uh…someone else! I just wish that…Oh God!" Ino exclaimed, her eyes bugging out as the memories from her clone flooded her mind. Her parents looked on worried as fear took a hold of her heart.

"Ino, dear, what's wrong? Her mother asked gently, afraid that their little escapade had horribly upset their daughter.

"It's…it's Naruto! I gotta go!" the younger blonde replied as she ripped her apron from her body and threw it on the counter as she headed for the door. "Mom, I'm glad you're okay! See ya!"

"Bye dear!" Mrs. Yamanaka waved to her daughter as Ino sped out the door, before turning to her husband with sad eyes. "Inochi, are we doing the right thing by not telling her? I really don't want to worry her when she already has so much on her plate!"

"I know, hon," Inochi replied as he wrapped his wife up in a hug, his heart aching greatly. "We'll just have to wait and see what Lady Tsunade says, then we'll take it from there….."

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Ino ran through Konoha in a blind panic as she raced back to the Namikaze estate. After she left her parents' shop, she ran straight over to the Hokage monument, only to find that her quarry had already left. Cursing loudly and scaring some nearby civilians, she began to check out all his old haunts just like before, and just like before, came up empty-handed. That just left one place.

"I swear to God, if I could, I would place a tracking seal on him," she muttered as she flew across the rooftops of the village. Unfortunately, the only tracking seal that she knew was one that was taught in kunoichi class to help locate a target. It could only be applied while in the middle of…Ino shook her head to clear out those thoughts as she raced home.

"Naruto!" she called out as she stormed past the front door and began to search the house room by room. After several minutes of fruitless searching and calling his name, she stood before the last remaining unopened door. This door was the one that lead to her nightmares, a crimson coated chamber of horrors that plagued her existence since that one night many weeks back. A shudder ran down her spine as she steeled her nerve and placed her hand upon the cold, hard surface of the portal to terror. Taking a deep breath, she slid the door open.

"Naruto?" she asked softly as she stepped inside the former nursery, only for her heart to quickly rise then fall at the sight before her. Naruto sat curled up in a little ball in the furthest corner of the room, the selfsame corner in which he sat when he slit his wrists and stabbed himself multiple times on that one long, horrible night.

With a speed that would even startle Rock Lee, Ino ran over and dropped to her knees by his side, concern for the man she loved filled her to overflowing. The blonde kunoichi quickly looked him over to make sure that he hadn't harmed himself again, then her heart broke when she saw the look in his eyes. The pain and despair she had fought tooth and nail to heal had raised their ugly heads yet again.

"Naruto? Baby, what's wrong?" she asked, not realizing the endearment that she had automatically used for him. A little spark seemed to come back to his eyes, but not much of one.

"It hurts," he croaked hoarsely, as if his voice had gone through hell and back, which over the past hour or so, it had.

"What hurts? Are you okay?" the young blonde asked her friend as she activated a medical diagnostic jutsu to make sure he wasn't injured. The results turned up negative.

"My heart, it hurts," the Sage croaked again, causing a sense of déjà vu to pass through Ino. This was entirely too much like that horrid night for Ino, recalling Naruto's words from when she had found him. The scourge of depression had reached out and fully embraced the young Hokage-to-be.

"Oh, Naruto, I'm so sorry!" Ino cried as she wrapped her arms around her fellow blonde and held him close. She was angry with herself, thinking that he would never would have been in his current state if she had stayed with him like she had promised she would. "If I'd been here, you'd be okay!"

"No, it's alright, Ino. I know you have a life…away from me," he murmured not realizing how badly that thought would hurt until he actually said it. A red-hot skewer just rammed itself straight into his gut at the thought of her being away from him. "I….I know that this is just an assignment Grandma gave you, but you have the right to have time to yourself."

"Naruto, look at me," Ino ordered quietly as she reached under his chin and raised his face so she could look him in the eyes. "Listen very closely, okay? Even if this wasn't an assignment from the Hokage, I would still be here taking care of you! It's what I was already doing before she even thought about assigning it to me!"

"I'm sorry, Ino, I don't mean to be a burden," Naruto whispered as the Fell Beast refused to loose it's hold on him.

"You're not a burden, silly," Ino smiled, trying to get him to cheer up. Moisture continued to run down her cheeks as she gently held his face. "I lo….lo…lo…care for you too much for you to be a burden! You are so very special to me, more than you can ever know! After all the times you've been there for me when my life went to hell, this is the least I can do!"

"It's destiny, I guess," he muttered, the shell around him still refusing to crack. Ino looked at him questioningly.

"What is? I didn't think that you believed in destiny," Ino wondered, still trying desperately to get through to him.

"To be alone. I don't deserve to be happy, to be loved, I guess. The gods must hate me," he answered flatly, his tone one of defeat.

"That's a load of crap! You, above anybody else, deserve to be happy! I know for a fact that there are women in the village that love you, and I…they would love to spend the rest of their lives with you!" Ino said as she caught herself from revealing what she truly wanted to say. Taking both of his hands, she gently pulled him to his feet.

"If you say so, Ino," Naruto said sadly, his eyes still downcast as he stood before his fellow blonde.

"Of course I say so!" she chirped, knowing full well that his depression hadn't lifted one iota. She silently cursed herself for being too cowardly to tell him how she really felt. "Now, come on! I bet you haven't eaten since breakfast, let's go get you some ramen, okay?"

"That's okay, Ino, but I'm really not hungry right now," he answered quietly as he stepped across the hall and into his bedroom. His stomach growled loudly in protest and he ignored it and shuffled off to his bed. "You go ahead and get something, I'm just gonna lay down for a while."

"Naruto, please?" Ino begged as he turned back around, his head down as he reached for the door. She desperately wanted to see him happy again, but something deep down inside her prevented her from telling him how she really felt, nor would it allow her to act upon it. If she could, she just knew she could make him happy.

"It's okay, Ino. I really don't mean to be a burden to you. If you want, I'll ask Tsunade to assign someone as my assistant so you can get back to your life," he mumbled quietly, seemingly oblivious to Ino's shocked expression and her raging emotions.

"What?! No! Naruto, it's okay! I really want to do this for you! Don't you understand that…," the kunoichi protested as Naruto slowly closed the door, leaving her to stare at the cold wooden surface, "…I love you?"

Muffled sobs were heard through the door as the sounds of Naruto falling on his bed reverberated through the wooden door. With tears streaming down her face, Ino turned and slid down the door, crumpling into a quivering mass, her emotions running wild as Naruto's continued to flood the seal.

"Why can't I tell him?" she cried as she tried to wipe the constantly flowing tears from her eyes but to no avail. "Every time I finally gather the nerve to tell him, something happens! Now, he's shut me out! What am I going to do?"

Ino sat there for several minutes, trying to come up with an idea to help Naruto and bring his confidence back. Unfortunately, the only things her rattled mind could think of were things that she was psychologically unable to give to him at this time. She would have gladly given Naruto her body, but the emotional damage her ex-boyfriend had inflicted upon her was too great and had yet to properly heal. Ino would be more than happy to give him her heart, but as seen earlier the only times she had been able to say it, fate took the chance form her. The young mind-walker was at a total loss when an idea finally struck her like a bolt from the blue.

"You just stay there, baby, it'll be alright," whispered the blonde beauty as she created a Shadow Clone and sped it on it's way to it's assignment…..

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Hinata sat back on her futon with a nice hot cup of peppermint tea as she opened up the newest copy of Icha-Icha Paradise that had just arrived for her in the daily mail. She smiled as she thought about the fact that almost no one was ashamed to admit that they read the series since Naruto had taken up the writing duties from his deceased godfather. The endless smut and bad dialog had been replaced with romance along with a few intense scenes of lovemaking. The Hyuga leader giggled as she settled down into the story. A half an hour later, a knock interrupted her reading.

"Lady Hinata, there is someone here to see you…are you alright?" the guard asked as he noticed Hinata's red face and ragged breathing. She was in the middle of a rather vivid chapter of the story when she had been interrupted.

"Uh, yes! I'm well, thank you! Just a bit tired from the day! What can I do for you?" Hinata replied quickly as she fought to control her pulse and breathing. The chapter had been very intense.

"Ma'am, Ino Yamanaka is here to see you with urgent news about Lord Namikaze!" the guard said, worry clearly evident in his voice. He was the same member of the Branch House that had spoken to Naruto earlier in the, Omi Hyuga. He admired Naruto greatly for what he and Hinata were doing for the clan. All Branch members knew of what Naruto was doing for them, and what he promised he would do when he becomes Hokage. Everyone in Konoha knew that Naruto always keeps his promises.

"What?!" Hinata barked as she leapt from her futon and sped after the guard, who quickly led her to the reception area where the Ino clone waited.

"Oh, Hinata! Thank God! You really need to come with me! Naruto has had a really, really bad day and Ino can't seem to help him! She doesn't know what to do! " the clone babbled as Hinata watched on.

"Ino? So, you're a clone?" Hinata asked, receiving a nod of confirmation. "Right! Omi, I'll probably be gone for the rest of the night! If anyone asks, I'm looking after an old friend!"

"Yes, milady!" Omi replied as he spun and returned to his post.

"Alright, lead on!" Hinata ordered as she and the clone ran off into the night…..

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"Ino?" Hinata asked gently as she and the clone made it through the Namikaze estate and stood before the door to Naruto's room. On the floor, the blonde kunoichi sat bawling until she heard the voice and looked up.

"Hinata! Thank God you're here! It's Naruto! He had a really rough day, and I can't seem to get through to him!" the mind-walker said as she bounced up from the floor and hugged the dark-haired beauty.

"Ino, calm down and tell me what happened. Is Naruto okay?" Hinata asked as she locked eyes with her fellow kunoichi. It was taking every bit of her self-control and reserve to remain calm and collected.

"Okay…well…I had to go work at my parent's shop today and…(sniff)…so I had to leave Naruto alone. He seemed to be okay in the morning but…(sniff)…as the day went on, he seemed to go…(hic)… downhill! When I got home he was…(sob)… in a terrible state! I did everything I could to….to…(sniff)…make him feel better, but it's all my fault because I left him alone and…(sob)… he thinks I'm helping him just because Tsunade told me to but…(sniff)…I'm not and I tried to tell him that…(hic)…I love him but he closed his door before I could and…(sob)…and….and I want to go in there and hold him but I can't and I shouldn't have left him…(hic)…alone…and….," Ino stopped when Hinata put her hands on both sides of her face and forced her to look her in the eyes.

"Ino, calm down! You're babbling! Now, listen to me! It's not your fault, okay? Naruto is in a very fragile emotional state right now, and the only two who are to blame for it are not here right now!" Hinata soothed quietly, calming the overly emotional blonde. "I know that you love him so very much, I can see it every time you're around him, and I understand that it seems like you can't do anything about it right now, but you just being here and loving him is more than enough!"

"But, I want to be with him and comfort him, but I can't!" Ino sobbed as Hinata wrapped her up in a hug and walked her to the living room.

"I know you do, Ino! I understand! You've had to carry this burden seemingly all alone, but not tonight, okay? I want you to stay in here and try to relax and calm down. I'll take your burden tonight, alright?"" Hinata said quietly as she guided the sorrowful blonde to the sofa and then went into the kitchen to get her a cup of tea.

"He's not a burden, you know?" Ino added softly when Hinata came back and handed her the tea. "I want to do this for him!"

"I know, Ino. He's not the burden of which I speak." Hinata replied as she began to walk back towards Naruto's room. "What I'm talking about is the fact that you think that you should have to carry all his troubles and needs alone. Naruto is the same way, he wants to carry everyone else's problems as well as his own. The two of you will never heal that way. You have friends and you have each other! Now, as your friend, I'm going to go take care of Naruto and let you rest and relax! Okay?"

"O-okay, Hinata," replied the blonde softly as she watched her good friend disappear down the hall.

"Naruto?" Hinata called out gently as she knocked on his bedroom door. The muffled sounds of sobs stopped for a moment before the door opened up, revealing a very weary and very heartbroken Sage.

"Hello, Love," Hinata greeted as she wrapped her arms around him, pouring as much affection and love into him as she could. "I thought I told you to call me if you needed me?"

"P-princess?" Naruto croaked, his voice still raw with emotion, "What are you doing here? How…?"

"Someone who loves you very deeply called for me, knowing that I can give you what she can't," the pale-eyed beauty said as she untied the obi that held her kimono closed and allowed the silk garment to slide slowly off her shoulders and to fall onto the floor. Naruto's eyes widened in awe at the sight of her nude body, perfect in every way, her porcelain skin glowing in the pale moonlight that shone through the bedroom window. Motherhood had been good for the Hyuga lady, for she looked even more radiant and beautiful now than she had when they made love, six years prior. She took Naruto's hand in one of hers while she turned and closed his bedroom door with the other…..

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Ino sat quietly on the windowsill in her room as tears streamed down her face. Despite Hinata's reassurances, she still felt like she was to blame for Naruto's current condition. She knew that calling her friend was the right thing to do, and it did make her feel so much better knowing that someone else loved Naruto enough to come and help him out. She knew that he would be feeling a little better by the time the sun came up in the morning.

She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face, enjoying the scent on the old t-shirt of Naruto's that she was currently wearing. It made her feel safe, it made her feel close to him, like she was the only one that mattered to him. She knew that was a selfish thought, but she couldn't help it. She loved him.

The tears that were streaming down her face right now wasn't just because of the fact that she was unable to comfort him, but because the sounds of Hinata's moans and screams were carrying through the house, as she and Naruto made love throughout the night. The tears were because she wished so desperately that it was her…….

End of Chapter 15


	16. Chapter 16

-1To Live is So Much Harder…..

Chapter 16

"Shikamaru, dear," Temari said quietly as she sat across the table from her brooding fiancé, an almost completed game of shogi laying between them. Despite how happy the two of them had been the past couple of weeks, something was really beginning to distract the Nara heir. He became irritable with just about everyone around, his demeanor only changing when he was with her, and even then he was easily distracted. The Sand kunoichi should have been upset about how he wasn't paying any attention to her, but she knew not only how much he loved her, but also how badly something must have been bothering him for the normally laid-back cloud-watcher to be as tense as he was. It worried her greatly, especially after the events of this evening.

Shikamaru was on the verge of losing his fifth game in a row to Temari. That was something totally unheard of, Shikamaru never lost to anyone, except his father.

"Hn," he responded, his mind obviously elsewhere. Temari smirked a bit, deciding to have a little fun with him, as well as trying to worm out the reason for his mood swings.

"You're hair is on fire," she said simply, watching him closely to gauge his reaction as she placed another piece on the shogi board.

"Okay," he muttered, oblivious to what was going on around him as he placed another piece down. She merely chuckled a bit as she realized that she was going to win again in three moves.

"I ordered matching his and hers solid gold kunai for the wedding so we can slit our hands and mingle our blood during the ceremony," Temari commented nonchalantly , knowing how worried he was about finances for the wedding. Shikamaru didn't want Gaara to have to foot the whole bill, and he really didn't want to ask his family for help. He wanted to prove to Temari he could take care of her.

"That's nice, dear," he replied as he made the worst move possible on the board. Temari's win suddenly went from three moves to one, but besides that, she had just discovered it wasn't the cost of the wedding that was worrying him. Time to try another tactic.

"By the way, I got a check-up today from Lady Tsunade," she said as she slid the last piece into position to win the game, "She told me I'm pregnant…with triplets."

"Cool," Shikamaru grunted, still staring at the board, not even realizing that he had been defeated. It was time for the knockout punch.

"Yes, and the babies are the Uchiha's," she said, matter-of-factly. Shikamaru's head snapped up as his eyes grew cold and bored deep down into her soul. "_Score!_"

"What?! That's not even funny, Mari!" he growled as he saw the smirk form on her lips. Shikamaru just realized that he had been played.

"Ah ha! Now I know the reason why you've been off your game lately," she said gently as she got up and walked over to the other side of the table and sat down in his lap. "What's wrong, Shika? What is it about the Uchiha that has you so tied up in knots right now?"

"I'm sorry, hon," Shikamaru sighed, wrapping his arms around his wife-to-be's waist. "It's just…seeing the Uchiha and his woman today, it really kinda gnaws at me, you know?"

"Yeah, it was kind of irritating watching them have their little picnic today," she agreed, "but that doesn't explain why you've been so…distracted lately."

"I've had a lot of things on my mind, Mari: the wedding, wondering if I'll be a good enough husband for you, if I'll be a good father to our kids, what the future will hold for us…." he explained, resting his head on her shoulder.

"That's not all," Temari prodded, knowing that there was something else that was bugging the Nara heir, especially after his reaction to the name of Naruto's betrayer. She locked eyes with Shikamaru and saw the restrained pain and anger in his eyes.

"It's just…the idea of that bastard going about and living his life like nothing has happened really galls me!" he growled as Temari reached out and placed a hand on his cheek, calming him somewhat. "Look what he and his…woman…have done to our friend! Hell, Naruto can't even go anywhere without one or the both of them showing up to ruin everything! Look at our party! Hell, looking at all the parties we've been to lately! We finally get Naruto out in the open…,"

"You mean, Ino got Naruto out in the open," Temari smirked, her eyes narrowing conspiratorially as Shikamaru smirked as well.

"True, Ino got Naruto out in the open…that little blonde can be sneaky at times," he replied, thinking about his two longtime friends. He truly believe that the two of them needed each other. Ino hadn't really been the same since the incident with her ex-boyfriend years ago. She had dated several times since, but all the relationships had ended pretty quickly, with Ino running to Naruto and Sakura for comfort. Well, mainly Naruto.

"I think they go good with one another," his lady mused, to which Shikamaru silently nodded his head in agreement. "But that's not what's been bugging you lately. Come on, Shika, spill it!"

"I'm afraid that you'll think less of me if I did tell you…it seems so petty right now," Temari reached over and stroked his cheek before she planted a light kiss on it.

"Never, my love," she whispered, sending thrills down the Shadow Master's spine. He could never resist her, especially when she used that tone of voice. "Please, tell me what's wrong! I want to help!"

"Lady Tsunade refused to allow anyone one to punish the Uchiha bastard for what he did to our friend," he muttered as the tension began to rise, causing his body to stiffen up. A quick kiss from Temari relaxed him once more. "So, we decided that since we could do anything overt, we'd try the shinobi method…,"

"Stealth, deception, misdirection, decisive action," the blonde kunoichi answered, "grasp victory when the opposition believes they have the upper hand."

"Yeah…well, we thought Operation: Vengeance would be enough to punish the Uchiha, but it's not. If anything, it's just a bunch of grown shinobi pulling childish pranks! It's irritating, but ultimately ineffective," he sighed as his fiancée looked at him questioningly. "It's…silly shit, really. Shino would use his bugs and indirectly attack the two of them, but at the same time we had to be careful of the baby."

"He is an innocent after all, Naruto would hate us if anything happened to him," the sand nin added, drawing a smile from Shikamaru when she included herself in with them. "Hey, Naruto's my friend as well, and the two of us are supposed to do things together, right?"

"I love you, you know that?" the Nara said as his kissed her neck, drawing a gasp from the hot blonde in his lap. "Shino wasn't the only one, though. Kiba created a jutsu that would automatically transport all the dog crap from the Inuzuka kennels into Sasuke's yard, Tenten and her folks outright refused to sell weapons to Sasuke, Sakura, or anyone who's sympathies were with the Uchiha. Choji's restaurant let them know that they weren't welcome there, either, as did the Ichiraku's. Still, nothing seems to affect them!"

"Surely, someone is doing something that hurts them," Temari prodded, trying to get to the rest of the story. She had seen the Uchiha everyday throughout the village, and he seemed far from happy.

"Other than what the Hokage has done, the only one who actually seems effective in this entire mess is Hinata," Shikamaru muttered, shaking his head. "She's been sending D-ranked missions to the Hokage everyday and specifically asking for Team Thirteen to do them. Cleaning out cesspools, driving out pests, shoveling manure…err…fertilizer into the flowerbeds, looking for non-existent 'lost' pets, acting as living targets for the younger Hyugas to practice their Gentle-Fist techniques, polishing silver…,"

"In other words, the standard D-rank missions that are the bane of new Genin everywhere," she concluded as the lover sighed deeply. "What was the punishment that the Hokage passed down that seems so effective?"

"First off, she stripped him of most of his lands, as well as his clan status," he explained, earning a wide-eyed stare from Temari, "she also restricted him to D-ranked missions as well as saddling him with the worst Genin team she could find. Then, after a failed mission, she stripped him of his rank and placed him under Iruka-sensei's supervision until such time as he's earned his rank back. He and his team also have to work with the local farmers to help repay some of the damages that had occurred during that mission."

"She took his land, his clan status, and his rank?" the kunoichi asked incredulously. She knew Tsunade was upset, but she didn't realize how far the Hokage would go to punished the errant shinobi. "Damn, that's a kick to the nuts!"

"You ain't lying there, hon," the Nara nodded his head in agreement, " Hell, from the scuttlebutt I've heard, even Ino got in a killer shot at those two, but Tsunade refuses to confirm it! I can't help it! It makes me feel so powerless knowing that no matter what we do, that bastard is still getting away with what he's done to our friend! There has to be something we can do!" Temari got up from his lap and walked over and sat on the couch, patting the sofa for him to join her. Grunting quietly, he walked over and plopped himself down next to her.

"Shika, dear, I need to ask you something," she announced softly as she turned and took his hands as she looked deep into his eyes, "Are you sure that you want to get revenge on the Uchiha for Naruto or for yourselves?"

"What?! How can you ask such a thing, Temari?!" Shikamaru barked as he turned a rather intense shade of red from his anger. "Of course we want to punish that bastard for our friend! He has to learn that he can't do anything like that to our friends without some sort of punishment!"

"Really? Because it seems to me that Lady Tsunade is doing a very good job at retaliating against him. Think about what you just told me: He's lost his lands, his clan, and his rank because of his indiscretions. He's reduced to performing tasks that I can absolutely guarantee he feels are beneath him, especially after everything he's done in the past. You seem upset that you cannot punish him effectively, despite everything that's happened to him. So, is this really about Naruto, or yourself?" she asked calmly, trying to make him see the truth.

"You don't understand! I was there, Mari!! I saw the blood that covered him and Ino! I saw the hurt in his eyes when he walked past us that night, and I didn't do anything to stop it! I saw the absolute terror and grief that enveloped Ino when she thought he was going to die! I saw our leader lose heart when she saw the man she considered a son lying in my arms so close to death that I swear the Shinigami was hovering over my shoulder! When I saw him lying helpless in his hospital bed…when I saw Ino hurting so much…I wanted to kill him on the spot! I want to take the dullest kunai I have and gouge out his rotten fucking eyes! I want…I want…I want…," the Shadow-Master seethed until he saw the knowing look on his fiancée's face, causing him to pause and ponder what he had just said. "Aw crap…"

"Despite the fact that you are the laziest shinobi I have ever met, it's that passion deep down inside you that I love so much, Shika," Temari smiled as she reached out and caressed his cheek, his look of utter shock and resignation so clear on his face. "You wanted to hurt the Uchiha and his woman so much because of how much he had hurt you, through your friends. You saw them is so much pain, so much agony, that it felt like your heart was being torn out of your chest. So, you wanted to take your vengeance out on the bastard, but seeing how you were barred from doing so, it built up within you."

"Mari…I'm sorry…I'm a selfish bastard," muttered the Nara, his eyes falling toward his lap. Temari patted his cheek to draw his attention back to her.

"No, you're not…you truly felt like you needed to get back at the Uchiha for hurting your friends, it's just your more primal instincts took over, relating his actions toward them as actions toward you. It's just a basic human instinct to want to protect yourself and your loved ones!" she explained softly as she continued to stare deep into his eyes. "Promise me that you'll never lose your passion for your friends and family, no matter how much you hide them! It is an important part of you, Shikamaru, and it's one of the reasons I love you so much!"

"So…do you think I should tell the guys to lay off?" he asked, quickly realizing that his future wife was going to be a very valuable asset to all his decisions in the future, her common sense helping to counterpoint his cold logic.

"Well…I'd at least have Kiba and Shino stop their attacks, but I'd damn well make sure that Hinata continues to 'request' his assistance for D-rank missions…the more demeaning the better!" Shikamaru looked at her questioningly. "What? I never said that he didn't deserve to be punished, just that you shouldn't tear yourself up over them not having the effect you want! The little bastard still needs a healthy dose of humble pie shoved down his throat!"

"You know," he chuckled as leaned closer to his Sand Goddess, "Just when I think I have you figured out, you throw a whole new set of surprises my way! I do believe that being married to you will be a most interesting experience!"

"Get used to it, Shika," Temari leaned closer to him as well, so close that their lips almost touched, "It the nature of a woman to keep her man guessing!"

"Troublesome," he grinned as he closed the gap and kissed her passionately, to which she eagerly responded…..

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Sasuke Uchiha was a very troubled man, as he knelt before the shrine to his ancestors located in the backyard of his manor house. He lit several sticks of incense and placed them into their respective holders as he then sat back on his heels and closed his eyes to pray.

He had always been a prideful person, even back in his younger days, after the massacre of his clan. He was the last Uchiha, a very special person in the village, and the elders of the village let him know just that. That fed his young ego to the point to where he believed that he was the end-all and be-all of shinobi everywhere. After all, he had the Sharingan, which made him so much better than anyone in that damn village, especially a certain annoying blonde-headed idiot.

He sighed as he thought about that said blonde, the same person that had managed to worm his way into his life, and into his heart. Naruto had become his best friend, or at least as close to a best friend as Sasuke could ever have. As much as he hated to admit it, Naruto was a better person, and a better ninja, than he was. The last Uchiha had lost count of how many times the idiot had saved his life, or how missions that had looked impossible to pull off were counted as successes because of Naruto's refusal to believe that there were limits to what he could do.

The Snake summoner inhaled the scent of the incense as the wind shifted slightly, gently wafting the smoke in his direction. It was the smell of cedar and pine, and it reminded him of his former best friend. The same guy who came after him time, and time, and time again to bring him home, to fulfill the promise to their teammate the idiot had made years ago. No matter how many times Sasuke beat Naruto down, insulted him, and downright treated him like shit, he never gave up on his friend. Even after the council finally ordered Tsunade to list him as missing-nin, the stubborn Sage refused to give up.

Sasuke opened his eyes and glanced upon the picture of Itachi, his beloved older brother, the same brother he had hated for most of his life. It wasn't until their final battle did Sasuke learn the truth, that their clan had betrayed the village. It tore Sasuke up so much to realize that his brother was an innocent, and to realize that his hate had been so misplaced for so long. He wanted revenge on Konoha, and that's when Madera swooped in and placed a cleverly crafted genjutsu upon him, bending Sasuke to his will.

Thoughts of Madera brought the pain of anger back to his chest, hurting his pride to know that he had been used like as a pawn by the immortal Uchiha, only to be used as a tool to take his revenge on Konoha. It was later on that he discovered that Madera also saw him as 'spare parts' should his eyes ever give out on him again. If it hadn't been for his adopted brother, he would have never been freed of the immortal's vile spell. When Sasuke had tried to use his Mangekyo Sharingan on Naruto, a little present Itachi left in the Sage activated and shattered Madera's genjutsu, finally freeing Sasuke's mind from the madness of years of rage. He saw exactly what he had done, and what Orochimaru and Madera had done to him, causing him to fall to his knees before the mighty Sage and bawl like a small child that had fallen and scraped his knee.

Naruto forgave him without a second thought, shocking Sasuke beyond belief. After pulling Sasuke back up to his feet, the two left to confront Madera. Sasuke was man enough to realize during the battle that Naruto's and Madera's power far exceeded his own, but between the two of them, they managed to obliterate the Ultimate Uchiha once and for all. Sasuke learned an important lesson that day: where as the Sharingan could control the Kyuubi, the Sage abilities of Naruto's could cancel out the Sharingan completely. That was how they were able to destroy Madera: they blinded him, left him powerless, and eradicated him with a Rasenshuriken. Nothing was left. Period.

Sasuke snorted and shook his head. If Naruto had just discovered that sooner, neither one of them would have been injured as badly as they were when they showed back up in Konoha. Idiot. Suddenly, a pain coursed through Sasuke's chest as the thoughts of Naruto turned to what had happened the past several months.

He knew Naruto's pain, thanks to the memories that Ino had dumped into he and Sakura on that night not too long ago. He had hurt the one person that had never given up on him, the one person who stood by his side and at his defense when just about everyone else in the village were screaming for his blood. He had betrayed his best, and only true friend. That fact was stressful enough as it is, but then add to it the fact that the Hokage of the village had decided to punish him, it was really beginning to get to him.

He was still a prideful man, Sasuke admitted to himself, despite everything that had happened to him. Even when he and Naruto staggered through the gates, supporting one another, he still held his head high. When he stood before the Hokage and the Council, he refused to plead for his life, nor would he plead for a lesser sentence. The time he spent in the jail, he refused to act like he had his tail between his legs. He stood tall and proud of the fact that he was Sasuke Uchiha, and looked his jailors straight in their eyes every time they tried to degrade and belittle him. When the other ninja in the village cursed him, spat at him, and looked down on him, he maintained his pride.

Right now, it was his pride that was disturbing him the most. He knew that he deserved everything that was being thrown at him right now, but it was still a huge blow to his pride. That damnable Deadly Sin. He had stolen his brother's wife and was now reaping the rewards of doing so. The loss of his status, his lands, his rank, and having to perform menial and demeaning missions, it all was a terrible blow to his pride, and every time he was ready to explode and tell everyone in the fucking village where they can stick it, he remembered three people. Three very important people.

"Sasuke?" a concerned voice called out from behind him, the owner of said voice one of the important people that he forced himself to swallow so much garbage to keep happy. It was her voice, the voice that felt like that of an angel to his jangled nerves, the voice of the one he had unwittingly fallen in love with and caused his current predicament. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, hon," he replied as he clapped his hands once and then stood from his knees. The Uchiha Lord gazed back upon the shelf before him, a picture of the second important person in his life standing opposite of the image of his flesh and blood brother. Naruto's goofy grin seemed to mock him as he looked upon the photo sadly, knowing full well that he was dead to them, or vice-versa. Thus the reason he was honored upon the shrine dedicated to the departed. The Naruto they had used to know was dead, and Sasuke's hands were the ones that held the knife that had ripped his heart out. The crimson stains seemed to refuse to come out, no matter how hard he wished them to, leaving a red cloud that seemed to ruin everything he touched.

"No, you're not," she commented as she saw the slump of his shoulders, as well as the layer of dirt the covered him head-to-toe. The medic noticed the scratches that covered her lover, as well as the dried blood that coated his limbs. "You've obviously had a hard evening, why don't you come in and get cleaned up and have some dinner?"

"Alright," he sighed as he turned and looked at Sakura, and was pleased to see the last important person in his life. The baby was quiet for once as he slept in his mother's arms, drawing a smile from the normally dour Uchiha. Those two were the reason he put up with all the crap from the villagers and their fellow nin. Her smiling face was the reason he came home every night and didn't run away from the village that seemed to hate him with such a passion. They were the reason for his living. "I love you!"

"I love you, too," Sakura blushed as Sasuke walked over to her and planted a small kiss on her lips. After their picnic that afternoon, the Hokage had sent a messenger to him to tell him that he and Team Thirteen were needed for a mission to the Hyuga estate. His current state and location were the results of that mission. "So, what's for dinner?"

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"Wow..*gasp*…I really, really missed that," panted Hinata as she draped herself across Naruto's bare chest as the pale moonlight shone in the window, causing her skin to glow with an ethereal light. She giggled as she reached up and stroked his whisker marks, causing a deep purr to erupt from with his chest.

"I missed you as well, Princess," Naruto chuckled as he caressed her cheek in return with the back of his fingers, causing her to snuggle closer to his chest. "But you really didn't need to do that."

"What? Are you griping?" she smirked as she sat up a bit, her bare breasts and long dark hair caressing his chest. Naruto returned her smirk, only to have his eyes bulge out for a second as she snaked her hand down and grasped his equipment.

"No..*ahem*…not griping a bit," he protested quickly as he felt her grip tighten just a fraction of a hair. "I thank you for what you did for me…but…you know…our talk…," Hinata's eyes soften as she remembered the conversation they had the morning after they made love for the first time.

"I love you, you know that, right?" she asked as her pale eyes bored deep within his blue orbs, "You know I would do anything for you, even give you my body to help make you feel better! Now, do you feel better, or not?"

"Yes, I do, but not just because of the sex," the Sage replied softly as he felt a lot of the weight he had been carrying around since he had awakened suddenly fall from his shoulders, only to be taken up and shared by the pale-eyed beauty that was currently laying beside him. "It's nice to know that somebody loves me…even if it's not in a husband/wife kind of way."

"There is someone out there that loves you very much," the Hyuga leader announced as she leaned on one elbow and continued to look him in the eye. "She's loved you for a very long time, she's been there for you since this…unpleasantness…started, and she's done everything she can to help you carry this burden you seem to have acquired. She would be more than happy to love you as a wife should…"

"Ino," he whispered softly, his heart already making the connection that his mind refused to make. "I…I couldn't do that to her…she deserves better than me…I'm so damaged right now, I'd probably hurt her without meaning to…," he turned his head in shame.

"Naruto, listen to me," Hinata ordered as she sat further up, allowing the sheet that was covering her upper body fall as she reached out and forced her first love to face her. "I know you….you would never hurt her, just like you've never hurt me! You know that Ino was hurt just as badly as you were years ago, and she has yet to heal properly. But, despite all that, she has been more than happy to help you, to support you, to be your strength, to hold you when the world seems to be crashing down upon you, and to love you from afar without asking for anything else in return! She taken on all that, with a heart that is still so painfully hurt!"

"I never asked her to do that," he mumbled his heart growing heavy, "I'm nothing but a burden to her! If Grandma hadn't assigned her to help me out…,"

"…then she would have done it herself, Love! You never asked for her love, her support, her strength…but she gave that to you willingly, and she's never asked for anything else in return! That poor girl has gathered up her courage up twice now to tell you how she felt, but both times, fate seems to have intervened. Do you know how hard that is for her to do that, when the last man she told that she loved him used her and threw her out like trash? You should know how that feels, the two of you even had the same reaction…" Hinata added softly as Naruto's eyes shot open wide as he stared at the dark-haired vixen.

"How…how did you know? Ino and I never told anyone about that night…," he gasped, only to see his Princess shake her head sadly.

"She told me about it when she came to ask me about that night," the mother of his child said as she laid back down beside him and began to draw little circles on his chest. "She wanted to ask me a few questions…."

"Like about our daughter?" Naruto asked calmly as Hinata nodded her head in response.

"Yes, she wanted to know about….WHAT?!" his lover shouted as she bolted upright in the bed, her wide eyes taking in his calm face.

"**WHAT?!**" the Kyuubi barked inside his cage, his fur standing on end , all nine tails sticking out straight like he had been hit with a bolt of lightning. "**HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT? I'VE SEEN NOTHING IN YOUR MIND TO INDICATE THAT YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT HER!!!**"

"_There are parts of my mind that I keep private even from you, you bastard fox!_" Naruto growled within his mind a he conjured up a kitten and placed it before the Kyuubi's cage. The Demon Fox immediately retreated back to furthest corner of his cage.

"Is that what Ino wanted to know about? About Kushina being our daughter?" he asked again rather calmly, which kind of scared Hinata.

"Y-y-you knew a-a-a-about Kushina b-b-being our daughter?" Hinata stammered softly, her eyes wide. She was scared to death that Naruto was going to hate her. "When? How?"

"Princess,' he said quietly, which made Hinata feel better. She knew if Naruto was angry, he would have never used her pet name. "I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks I am!"

"I never thought you were stupid, Love," she consoled, causing Naruto to smile. "But how did you know?"

"Well, first off, I know for a fact that I was your first," he replied, causing her to blush a bit. "Second, Kushina was born almost exactly forty weeks after we made love. Third, you told me that you loved me when I battled Pein, and you would have never told me that if you loved someone else, Princess. Fourth, and most importantly…."

"Yes?" asked the Hyuga lady, holding her breath as the Sage smirked, a sparkle coming to his eyes.

"You let me be with you when you gave birth to our little lady, then asked me what my mother's name was. When I asked you why, you said that you wanted to name her after her grandmother!" Naruto chuckled as Hinata's jaw dropped. She had been so out of it after her labor that she never realized that she had let her big secret out of the bag to begin with.

"You…you don't hate me for keeping her a secret for so long?" Hinata sniffed as tears began to slide down her cheeks. She was so scared that Naruto would hate her for her deception that her emotions were getting the best of her. He reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"I love you, Hinata, I could never hate you! I can understand why you would want to hide her, though. I made some pretty serious enemies outside the village, as well as the people in this village who would have hated her for being the child of 'The Demon'!" he replied a bit sadly, which broke Hinata's heart. "I would have married you, you know?"

"No," she shook her head, drawing a curious glance from Naruto, "Like I said when we had our talk, I knew that your heart didn't belong to me! It belonged to…well, let's not mention who that person is right now! The main thing is that I would have never tried to have trapped you into a marriage, no matter how big your heart is, you goof! I love you, and you love me, but just not in that way. You wouldn't have been happy, Love."

"So…it's not because you would have been ashamed to have told everyone that I was your husband, or that Kushina was our child?" he asked, that little bit of doubt trying to worm it's way into his heart.

"I would have screamed it from the top of the Hokage's tower, had we wed!" Hinata giggled as she watched Naruto blush somewhat. Despite wanting attention back in his younger days, he really valued privacy in his private life. "I would have never been ashamed of you, but your heart didn't belong to me."

"I'm sorry," the blonde said , but was suddenly cut off by a deep kiss form his current lover.

"Don't be," she said as she broke the kiss, her dark hair framing her face, her eyes shining in the moonlight. "If I had been ashamed, I would have never let you spend so much time with our little girl! But you did, you spent so much time with her that I was afraid you-know-who would have been jealous….,"

"…but she spent so much time at the hospital, she never really noticed! She never wanted to give me child until…well…you know…she never did want to give me a child," Hinata hugged him as she felt the hurt try to force it's way back to the surface. "Are you ever going to tell her?"

"I will, one day, when she's older," Hinata replied was she snuggled closer to Naruto, the warmth of his body helping to drive her fears away and beginning to lull her to sleep. After the intense lovemaking they had done, sleep was rather easy to achieve. "Probably after she's graduated the Academy, and is a proper genin who can defend herself. I just hope she doesn't hate me…us."

"She's got a good heart, Princess, like your's. She'll never hate you! When you explain everything to her, just tell her the truth and she'll see the wisdom of it!" the Sage reassured as sleep began to creep upon him as well.

"She's too much like you, Love," added the Hyuga as her eyelids grew heavy, "She has your energy, and your all-too-forgiving heart! I'm sorry I never told you…"

"Don't worry about it, Princess," Naruto mumbled as he lost his battle with the Sandman, " I forgave you long before she was ever born……."

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Sunday morning came all too soon for Ino as she crawled out of her bed and padded towards the kitchen to make some breakfast for the inhabitants of the house. She looked a mess, with her hair down and unbrushed and dark circles surrounding her eyes. She had spent the better part of the night curled up on her window sill, trying desperately to shut out the sounds that had floated throughout the house.

The feelings that had coursed through her last night were not welcome at all. Afterall, she was the one that had sent for Hinata, to do what she could not. However, the jealousy that raged through her heart had hurt her deeply. She had wanted to be the one to be in that room, comforting Naruto, not one of her best friends, no matter how much she knew that Hinata loved him. Ino wanted to scream, curse Hinata, rage at the fact that someone other than herself was touching the man she loved, but she could not. Because she loved him so much, anything that could be done to help heal him was something that she could live with. She may not have liked it, but she understood what had happened, so she wasn't going to dwell on it.

"Morning, Ino," as soft voice called out, pulling Ino from her reverie as she glanced up from the stove and saw Hinata glide into the kitchen.

"Oh…Hey, Hinata," Ino called out as she poured two cups of tea, "So…ah…where's Naruto? Is he coming down for breakfast?" Hinata blushed as she shook her head slightly, taking the cup Ino offered her.

"No, he's still asleep…he's still kind of tired after yesterday," the Hyuga leader replied as she and Ino sat at the kitchen table, breakfast slowly cooking on the stove.

"I bet," Ino muttered, causing Hinata to sputter into her tea. "Oh God, I'm sorry, Hinata, I didn't mean to sound…,"

"It's okay, Ino, I understand," Hinata smiled as she took a napkin and began to clean up her mess, "I know yesterday was just as difficult for you as it was for him. I mean...the man you love…,"

"Yeah," Ino sighed, looking rather deflated. Hinata reached and patted her hand, concern so very evident in her eyes.

"Ino, are we okay? You know, after last night and all," she asked quietly as Ino looked into her eyes and saw the worry that had come to root there. A small smile graced the blonde's lips, knowing that her friend was concerned for her welfare and hadn't purposely done anything to hurt her.

"Yeah, we're good, Hinata," the mind-walker replied as she watched relief rush into her friend's face. "You were able to do something for him that I wish that I…uh…well…you know." Ino blushed as her friend just smiled at her. "He is doing better, isn't he?"

"Yes, he's doing much better! We had a long talk last night after…you know…and he pulled out of the funk he was in. I so want to kick that bitch's ass over what she did to him! I have never seen him so down before in his life!" Ino's jaw gaped over what Hinata said.

"Uh…so what all did you two talk about?" the blonde asked, a blush beginning to light up her cheeks as she realized that probably wasn't the best thing to ask about.

"Well, various things," Hinata said with a wiggle of her eyebrows, causing Ino's blush to resemble Hinata's of old. A soft giggle escaped the pale-eyed beauty as she shook her head. "Nothing like that, pervert!"

"Well, then what?" Ino wondered, only to be startled by a pair of arms wrapping around her waist as she stood to check on the food on the stove. "Eep!"

"About how I know Kushina is my daughter," Naruto replied as he wrapped Ino up in huge hug, causing the blonde kunoichi to melt into his arms until what he said finally registered. "And how I've been unfair to you."

"WHAT?!" Ino screeched, which seemed to be everyone's reaction to his knowledge of his daughter. "When the hell did you find out, and what do you mean unfair to me?"

"I've known since the beginning," Naruto answered as he released his fellow blonde and reached out for a cup of tea before turning toward the table and taking a seat, followed quickly by Ino. "I just finally let Hinata know about it!"

"Are…are you okay with it, about her keeping it a secret, I mean?" Ino asked, watching both of her friends closely, wondering what exactly was going on.

"I understand why she did it, Ino," he explained as sipped is tea carefully so as not to burn his tongue. "I have many enemies, that is for certain, and if they knew I had a child, they would have stopped at nothing to harm her to get to me! At the time, Madera and Sasuke were still very real threats that I wasn't ready for, so I kept my mouth shut. I did spend as much time with her as I could, though."

"If you knew, then why was it so important for you and…your ex-wife…to have a child if you already had one?" the blonde kunoichi asked as she went back to the stove and quickly came back with bowls of hot cereal and a large plate of toast.

"While it's true that I had a daughter, I had no child that I could claim as my own," he continued to explain as he picked up a piece of toast and dipped it in the bowl. "If I had claimed Kushina as my child, there would have been hell to pay, mainly for Hinata and Kushina."

"You see, Ino, my position as Hyuga heir was in no means secure when I got pregnant," Hinata added as she continued to sip her tea, "there were several higher ranking members of the clan who would have demanded that my father banish me for carrying Naruto's child! So my father, Neji, and I came up with the story of my mysterious 'fiancé' who died in battle with Pein. I was determined to become clan leader, so I could change the clan for the better. So, I fought long and hard to gain their acceptance, and the minute that I was proclaimed the head of the clan, I quickly moved to remove those who could threaten me and my daughter." Ino was a bit startled at how Hinata's voice had hardened when she spoke about that time in her life.

"Besides, who want to be known as carrying the child of the village pariah?" Naruto added, only to yelp a second later when Hinata slugged his shoulder. "Oww! What was that for?"

"I told you last night, I would have been proud to tell everyone that I was carrying your child if it was feasible at the time!" she glared at him causing him to shrink in his chair a bit. Ino giggled at her friend's predicament.

"Aw, come on, Ino! Not you too!" he grumbled, making both kunoichi laugh even harder.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but the look on your face…" Ino apologized before breaking into giggles once more.

"Geeze, I get beat up, and everyone has to have a good laugh!" he pouted before breaking out into his foxy grin.

"Okay, okay!" Ino chuckled before becoming serious again. "What did you mean by being unfair to me?"

"I think I'm going to go and take a shower before I head on back to the Compound," Hinata said as she finished her tea and excused herself from the table as Naruto looked at her askingly, to which she merely nodded her head slightly before vanishing down the hall.

"Uh…Ino…it's kinda hard to explain," the Sage started nervously as he reached out and took her hands in both if his. "I'm not the smartest guy in the world, so what I'm going to say may not make much sense…"

"_This doesn't sound good_," Ino thought as her light blue eyes met his bright blue ones. "It's okay, Naruto…just take your time, you know you can tell me anything, I'm here for you!" A bright smile lit up her face, drawing an equal one on his.

"You are way too good to me, you know that?" he began, still looking deep into the portals to her soul, "That's what I need to talk to you about. I've been so lucky to have you here with me since this crap all started. You saved my life, you repaired my mind, you've put up with all my emotional baggage…"

"You've done the same thing for me over the years, you know," she reminded him, bringing a blush to his cheeks, "I've never properly thanked you for that, either!"

"You never had to, Ino," replied Naruto as he struggled to find the right words for what he wanted to say, trying so hard to keep from hurting his dear friend. It didn't help much that his feeling for his fellow blonde were confusing the hell out of him right now, it was really something that he wasn't ready to deal with right now, not with all the hurt he had just gone through.

"And you don't have to either, silly!" Ino responded, her smile lightening the load he felt in his heart. Naruto sighed as he continued on.

"Look…I'm no good at this kinda thing," Ino was really surprised to see the frustration in his eyes as he struggled internally for the right words. He finally gave up and decided to let his heart take the lead. "Ino, I can't lie to you…I really care for you deeply, and I appreciate what you've done for me so far…but I feel like I'm imposing on you…"

"How are you imposing on me? I'm the one living in your house, eating your food, taking up all your time…I'm the one imposing on you!" the kunoichi said as confusion reigned within her mind.

"Look, you've essentially given up your life to help to take care of me," he continued, "You could be out there, living it up, partying, meeting friends, seeing other guys…"

"I don't want to see other guys!" she barked before slapping her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide at her admission. "I mean…you're my friend, one that I would do anything for! All those things that you just mentioned, they're just bullshit…unimportant things! I want to be here with you, watching over you, comforting you, holding you, lo….lo…keeping you safe! You've helped me so much, I just want to help you! I want to share your burden…"

"That's the problem, Ino," Naruto said sadly, even though his heart tried to soar at the thought of what Ino had just told him. In her brief time with him, she had done so much more for him than his former wife had ever done, and he was so grateful for it. "You have your own life, your own problems, your own burdens to carry! You don't need to add mine to them! I'm so afraid that's just going to end up hurting you in the end!"

"I want to help you, Naruto," she said softly, sounding sad, "Don't you understand…how much I care for you? Helping you has helped me to move on…to forget about those jerks, about that night…those nights…God it hurt so much to see you like that…" She gasped when she felt the Sage reach out and caress her cheek.

"I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you, I just…" Ino stopped him with a finger to his lips.

"…wanted it to go away, I understand! Please, let me help you! I've seen the crap you went through during your life…nobody should have gone through so much hell! Anything that I went through paled in comparison to that! That's why I want to help you so much, I want to help someone I care for so much!" Ino pleaded as she stared into his bright blue eyes, a part of her wondering what her children would look like with his eyes.

"Ino," he sighed, knowing that she was still hurting from what he ex-boyfriend had done to her, from all those jerks that she dated that wanted her for nothing but her body, from all those years of self-doubt about her body image, from her sensei dying, from seeing him almost die before her eyes. "I don't want you to take care of me any more."

"What?! No, Naruto, please! I'm sorry if I've upset you somehow, I'll make it up to you! Please, don't do this to…" This time, she was stopped by his finger on her lips.

"I want us to take care of each other, okay? You've done nothing wrong, but I can't allow someone precious to me try to carry all my burdens without trying to help her carry hers! You have done so much for me that I can never repay you, except by trying to be the best friend you've ever had! Deal?" he asked, trying to see some sort of reaction in her eyes.

"_Best friend I've ever had_," Ino thought, as single happy tear slid down her cheek as she blinked her eyes several times, "_Well, it's a start, but after all the crap Sakura put him through, it's probably the most he can do right now_!" She nodded her head, drawing a huge smile from the Sage.

"Then come here and give me hug, okay?" Naruto said as he stood and took her by the hand, pulling her up from the chair and wrapped his strong arms around her. She smiled brightly as she felt him lay his head on her shoulder, his warm breath brushing up against her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"By the way, thank you for last night. I know that it probably wasn't easy for you to do, but thank you for it! I want you to know, I do love you both, so don't ever think that I don't, okay? One day, when I don't hurt so badly…and you don't hurt so much….we might be able to tell each other how we really feel!" he whispered in her ear, drawing another gasp from the blonde kunoichi before she pulled back and saw the sincerity in his eyes, before smiling and nodding her head, not trusting her voice at that moment. Ino drew Naruto back into the hug as they enjoyed the warmth and caring they had for each other.

End of Chapter 16


	17. Chapter 17

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 17

_**A/N**__: Hey folks, I just wanted to write to thank you folks so much for all the great reviews you have left for me and to tell you how much I appreciate your support for this story. This is another one of my little ideas that have bloomed into a monster, but I am so glad that you folks enjoy it! I want to address a couple if issues that were brought up about the last chapter, if I can._

_A lot of folks commented on how Temari seemed out of character when it came to dealing with Sasuke and Sakura. It's not that she was trying to deal with those two, she was worried about her future husband. She was doing what she could to find out what was wrong with him, and then she did what she could to help him out, like any good spouse would. They support one another. She did state that she believed that the two should be punished, but Naruto's friends shouldn't tear themselves up over it._

_As for Sasuke and Sakura and more specifically, Sasuke's soliloquy. He admitted to himself that he was a prideful man and had been all his life. He knew that had always been his downfall, and he does regret what he did to his best friend/brother. He even had Naruto's picture set up on his family shrine, just like he has Itachi's, and if you know anything about Buddhist/Shinto customs, you know that means a lot! He and Sakura have been punished for their crimes, and continue to be punished. The two of them lost their standing with their friends, their co-workers, and their community. There are still a few Uchiha supporters, but many more Uchiha detractors. But worst of all, they have both had to live through over twenty years of Naruto's pain, and that is something that will never go away, it will be with them always, and will creep up on them and attack them at anytime of the day or night. Fitting punishment, I say!_

_As for a certain troll who shall remain nameless ( and clueless, it seems) I 'm sorry that you found the chapter boring. Read something else. As for 'Madara' being misspelled, it happens. I also misspelled 'Inoichi' early in the story, as well as one or two other names. This wasn't done purposely, but I'm obviously not the only one, and I shall continue to use those spellings for the rest of the story. I have seen the same names 'misspelled' in other fics as well. Get over it. Okay, sorry for the rant, on with the story! And thanks once again!-Lord Talon_

Kushina Hyuga had a secret, and it was one that kept a smile plastered on her face as she walked with her Uncle Neji toward the Namikaze estate to visit her Uncle Naruto and Aunt Ino. Well, Neji walked, Kushina skipped happily beside him, holding his hand and looking up at the tall Hyuga who was currently dressed in his normal civilian clothing. Kushina pouted a bit mentally, as she had asked him if he was going to wear his cool ANBU outfit with the really cool dragon mask she liked so much. Neji had smiled and shook his head, telling her that he only wore that for work. Kushina then used the dreaded Puppy-Dog Eyes that women throughout time were known to use to get their way when it came to stubborn males.

The little Hyuga heir reached up and touched the mask that hung on Neji's belt, smirking a bit. At least she was able to get that concession from him. Next time, with more practice, she'll be able to convince him to wear the whole outfit.

"Now, Kushina, your mother expects you to be on your best behavior when we get to your Uncle's house," Neji said as he glanced down and saw the smiling face of his favorite little Hyuga. "She said you could stay for a few weeks while she takes care of some family business…."

"Uncle Neji, you don't have to lie to me," Kushina said matter-of-factly, drawing a stern look form Neji, "I know that Mommy isn't feeling too good and is going to see the Hokage to help her to feel better."

"I wasn't lying to you, Kushina," Neji said firmly as he turned to look back down the road, briefly activating his Byakugan to scan for any threats, "Yes, your mother hasn't felt well this last week or so, and yes, she is going to visit the Lady Tsunade for a checkup, but afterwards, your mother is going to attend to family business. There are some important matters she must attend to, and she needs a clear head to do so."

"So that's why I'm going to spend time with Uncle Naruto?" she asked, her smile returning and shining brightly. Neji couldn't help it, he returned her smile, hoping that he'll be as happy with his own child as he was with Kushina.

"Yes, that's why!" Neji agreed, noticing how happy the little girl was at spending time with the Sage. It was infectious. "Naruto is the strongest shinobi in the village, and she knows that you'll be safe with him and Ino. Just…try not to run him into the ground, Okay?"

" 'Kay!" she chirped, happily skipping along, " Uncle Neji, do you think Uncle Naruto will teach me some cool jutsus? I wanna learn everything I can before I start the Academy! I'll be the greatest ninja you'll ever see!"

"_Lord, she's too much like him_," he mused as he saw the excitement in her eyes, "I'm not sure, little one, why don't you ask him later on? Just…remember who you are, and make sure to be polite to everyone, okay? Make your mother proud!"

"I will, Uncle Neji!" Kushina chirped as she continued to smile, drawing an equal one from Neji. It did un-nerve him somewhat when he saw that there was something behind that smile, but the little girl was so happy and so full of joy that he wasn't able to focus on it. He knew that she was hiding something, but he quickly forgot about it. After all, she wasn't even seven yet, what was there that she could hide that was so terrible?

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It had been two months since Hinata and Naruto had shared a night of passion and healing, and a great many things had changed in lives of the two blondes that lived at the Namikaze estate. Naruto and Ino had spent the rest of that Sunday just relaxing and spending the day with each other after Hinata had left for the Hyuga compound.

Monday morning, they both began their new assignments, as Tsunade and Shizune began to train them for their jobs. Naruto and Tsunade were extremely pleased to realize that the Hokage had made the perfect choice for Naruto's assistant, however, some of Naruto's…_eccentricities_…were enough to want Tsunade to launch him out the nearest window, especially after he created ten Shadow Clones to get started of the reams of paperwork that Tsunade had tried to pawn off on him. The last Senju was laughing at the look on Naruto's face when she left, only to come to a dead stop when she walked back in several hours later to discover all the paperwork finished and the remaining clones were sitting all around the office, reading everything they could get their hands on. What really upset her, however, was the fact that Naruto was sitting on her desk, eating what seemed to be his fifth bowl of ramen while he was reading the Forbidden Scroll. Noodles and broth were spilled all over the large scroll as the Sage continued to eat ravenously while he absorbed the contents within.

After a severe beat-down and a stern lecture from the Hokage about how it was very important to not get food stains on rare, one-of-a-kind documents, Tsunade and Naruto came to an understanding: he would do his best to learn everything she had to teach about leading a village, and she would do her best to not knock him into the next country whenever he did something stupid. They both stretched the understanding to the limit, and all Ino and Shizune could do was sit back and watch the two hardheaded blondes continue to knock heads. After two months, things were going surprisingly well.

"Naruto, are you sure that you want to take Kushina to work with you every day?" Ino asked as she trailed behind him, doing her best to calm the Hokage-to-be as he paced the house, making sure that all the weapons and various scrolls that were thrown about the house were put up safe and sound. His daughter was coming over to stay for several weeks, and he wanted to make sure that she was safe. He knew that Kushina was too much like him to be able to stay out of trouble for long, and he knew that if she really, really wanted something, that she would be able to get it. Naruto wasn't going to take any chances, and was doing what he could to keep the temptations at a minimum.

"I've only been on the job for a couple of months now, Ino," he replied as he pulled a particularly nasty set of kunai from out behind the cushions of his sofa. This set had a peculiarly shaped blade with two smaller blades coming off the sides, along with some intricate writing inscribed on the handle. Ino gave them a quizzical look as Naruto tucked them into his weapons pouch rather quickly. "I couldn't just ask Grandma for some time off to take care of my little one!"

"I understand that, silly," the kunoichi commented as she finally gave up on following the hyper Sage and sat down on the sofa, dragging him down with her. A smile lit up his face as she snuggled into his side. The two of them had become much closer in the past two months, and it seemed to do the both of them some good. "I just don't understand why you didn't hire a sitter or something for when we're at the office."

"I get to spend so little time with her as it is, I couldn't do that to her," her fellow blonde sighed as he enjoyed the closeness of his friend. "I promise, I'll keep her out of trouble." A snort from Ino drew his attention.

"Yeah, right! We can't even keep you out of trouble!" Ino giggled as Naruto crossed his arms and pouted.

"I'm not that bad!" he retorted before his voice got oddly quiet, "Besides, if I'm busy keeping her out of trouble, maybe I'll keep out of it myself." Naruto turned and glared at Ino as she broke down with laughter at hearing his admission.

"I'm sorry," she said between fits of laughter, tears of absolute glee streaming down her cheeks, "it's just the….the look on your face…when you said that!" Ino continued to laugh as Naruto got an evil grin on his face, which she failed to notice.

"Oh really, Miss Yamanaka? So you seem to find my admission funny? I guess that leaves me with no choice," Naruto smirked when Ino finally caught wind of what he was planning.

"Oh, hell no! You wouldn't…would you?" the kunoichi asked desperately when she saw the sheer determination in his eyes. She realized at that moment, she was royally screwed!

"Wanna bet?" the Sage asked as he leapt up and pounced upon the blonde beauty at his side. "Alright! You asked for it!"

"NO!!" Ino screamed as crouched down as deep as she could into the cushions of the sofa, however, they provided no protection whatsoever.

"Too late!" Naruto bellowed as he curled his fingers in preparation of his attack, "Namikaze Ten Fingers of Wrath, Kootchie-Kootchie no Jutsu!!"

"No-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!" Ino screamed as Naruto's talented fingers began to attack her sides. He had discovered, purely by accident, Ino's most hidden weakness: she was extremely ticklish. Peals of laughter began to fill the Namikaze house as Naruto continued his relentless attack upon the unsuspecting blonde.

"Ha! I have you now, my blonde beauty!" Naruto called out in a most over-the-top voice, doing his best to sound like the villains of the movies he loved to watch when he and Ino spent a quiet evening alone. "You cannot escape the dreaded clutches of my invincible jutsu!"

" N-Naruto…(Heh heheh)….stop it!…(ha-ha hah)…no…fair!…(heheh heheh)…bastard!" the mind-walker squeezed out between fits of laughter as the mighty Sage's relentless fingers continued the frenzied assault, "K-K-Kushina…(hee-hee)…will be…(giggle)…soon! Quit it!"

"And why should I 'quit it'?," Naruto asked sadistically as he renewed his assault, leaving the blonde beauty beneath him gasping for air, "I'm having entirely too much fun with you in my power!"

"Maybe you should stop because you cannot hear when someone has been knocking on your front door for the past few minutes," Neji called out as he walked down the hall with Kushina at his side. The Hyuga ANBU stopped in his tracks as he rounded the corner and saw Naruto and Ino in a rather compromising position. Ino was sprawled out on the sofa with Naruto on top of her, straddling her legs as he was bent over tickling her with every bit of energy that he had. Neji's eyes went wide as a blush worthy of Hinata crawled across his face. With ANBU speed, he quickly pushed Kushina back into the hallway to keep her innocent eyes…innocent.

"Hey Neji! " Naruto chirped, snapping his head around to look at his friend who stood there with a rather irritated look on his face. Ino noticed Neji 's reaction, and realized what it looked like the two of them had been doing. With a grunt and a mighty shove, she quickly threw Naruto off of her onto his head in the floor and leapt to her feet, smoothing her hair where it had been messed up by her and Naruto's tickle fight.

"What the hell are you two doing?!" Neji hissed softly as he continued to hold a struggling six-year old at bay. "I'm bringing Kushina over for you to watch over while Hinata is indisposed, and you're acting like…this?!"

"Uncle Neji," Kushina whined as she tried to tried to get around his blocking arm, "What's going on? I wanna see! Is Uncle Naruto in there? Where's Aunt Ino?"

"Hush now, Kushina! Uncle Naruto and Aunt Ino are working on some thing…uh…," Neji explained , at a loss for what to tell the struggling child.

" A…uh…top secret jutsu for the Hokage!" Naruto called out, hoping that would stall the young Hyuga.

"Yes…that is correct, and we need you to stay here for just a minute so Naruto and Ino can put away their…scrolls…and stuff," Neji ad-libbed, shrugging at the faces that the pair of blondes were giving him. Ino shook her head sadly at Neji's ability to think on his feet as Naruto stood back up from the floor, before nodding to the ANBU. Neji shook his head as he released his hold on the hyperactive young one.

"Uncle Naruto! Aunt Ino!" Kushina yelled as she speed away from Neji and ran into the living room, leaping into the waiting arms of her father.

"Hey, baby! Whatcha been doing?" he asked as he spun the little girl around the living room, much to the delight of both Ino and Kushina. Ino was always surprised to see how happy Naruto was when his daughter visited him.

"I'm not a baby! I'm a killer kunoichi!" she boasted as she beat Naruto on the shoulder for calling her a baby. Ino and Neji both laughed at the look on Naruto's face at the beating he was taking from the pale-eyed child.

"So you are, so you are," he laughed as he released Kushina, allowing her to run over and leap up on Ino, drawing a huge smile from the blonde bombshell.

"Hi, Pumpkin! Have you been a good girl for your uncle?" Ino asked as she hugged the child tightly and then gave her a kiss on the cheek, drawing giggles from the young lady.

"You want the truth, or a story?" Kushina asked, drawing a snort from Naruto and a laughter from the other two adults in the room.

"The truth, Kushina," Neji urged, drawing expectant looks from the blondes. Kushina scrunched up her face somewhat, like she was thinking about what she should say.

"Well, mostly," the dark-haired little girl answered as she gave everyone in the room her puppy-dog eyes and a cute little pout, sticking one finger on her lip. Naruto and Neji instantly melted while Ino held back a laugh. Ino had seen that exact look in Naruto's face before whenever he used his Sexy Jutsu on some unsuspecting pervert. It was an instant man-killer.

"Close enough," Neji conceded as he place Kushina's bag down and handed Ino a set of instructions Hinata had written up. "Now, Kushina, I want you to behave yourself and do everything that your…uh…uncle and aunt tell you to, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Neji," she replied as she ran up and gave him a big hug and kiss before turning back to the other two in the room. "So, what was the secret jutsu you were working on? Anything you can teach me?"

"Um…no not really, sweetie," Ino answered as a blush overtook her and Naruto both, causing Neji to smirk at their reactions. "It's a very important secret, so don't say anything to anybody, okay?" Kushina nodded her head vigorously, after all, she knew all about keeping secrets. She held on to her secret for a long time now, so she knew how important it was to be quiet about them.

"Tell you what, though," Naruto said as he walked over to her and pulled a silver chain out of his pocket with a strange-looking kunai charm attached to it, "I had this made especially for you! Do you know how to channel your chakra?"

"Yep! Uncle Neji and Mommy told me how to when I was working on my Bubblegum," she said happily as Naruto placed the chain around her neck as Neji just shook his head.

"Byakugan, dear," he corrected for what seemed like the millionth time.

"Yeah, that thing!" Naruto smirked at the look of exasperation on the ANBU's face.

"That's good!" the Sage continued as he squatted down and looked her in the eye, showing her how serious he was. "Now, if there's any time that you feel worried, or scared, about anything, anything at all, I want you to channel some of your chakra into this little kunai, okay?"

"I'm not scared of nothing!" she harrumphed, crossing her arms and showing the blonde that she was a brave ninja. Naruto smiled as he reached up and caressed her cheek.

"I know that, hon, but sometimes stuff just happens. Will you wear this for me, and promise to never take it off?" he asked, and the look in his eyes made Kushina realize that he was being very serious about it. She smiled, she always loved everything that Naruto had given her, and if he asked her to never take this off, she would do as she was asked.

"I'll never take it off, I promise!" the little Hyuga replied as she reached out and gave Naruto a hug before pulling the charm out a little bit so she could see it. The Sage sent a wink at Ino and Neji as they looked at him quizzically. "So, what are we gonna do?"

"Well, I figured we'd go out and get something to eat first, then when we get back, we'd do a little training and them maybe go to a movie tonight. Sound good to you?" Naruto asked Kushina, her eyes lighting up with joy at the thought of going out with her uncle and aunt. "So, whatcha wanna eat?"

"Ramen!!" Kushina shouted as she bounced around happily, the thought of her favorite food raising her excitement to levels only previously seen by a younger version of the blonde man standing kneeling before her. Naruto grinned like a fool when he looked up and saw Ino and Neji roll their eyes.

"Okay, Ramen it is!" He agreed as he took her hand, grabbed her bag from the floor, and began to lead her toward her bedroom. The two remaining adults in the room watched the two of them fondly as they walked down the hall until they head a question come from the young Hyuga that drew a mighty blush from Ino and a squawk from Naruto.

"Uncle Naruto, when are you and Auntie Ino going to get married?"

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Friday and Saturday passed quickly as the trio enjoyed their time together. Friday, after Naruto and Kushina had both eaten their fill of ramen, he and Ino both began to drill Kushina in taijutsu so as to expand her technique beyond that of the Gentle Fist. That evening, they went and watched the latest foreign film, _Ruckkehr des Ubermann,_ which caused Naruto and Kushina to laugh out loud at a grown man in a blue spandex suit prancing around the screen. Ino did her best to shush them while trying not to laugh too hard herself.

"It could be worse, at least it's not green," Ino commented softly, causing Naruto to laugh even louder.

"I wonder if I can convince Guy to wear a red sheet around his neck as he goes around town?" the Sage wondered before getting slugged by the kunoichi.

"Don't you dare, you know he'd probably do it!" the mind-walker replied, causing all three to burst out in laughter. By the time the movie was over, Kushina's day finally caught up with her as she fell asleep in her seat in the theater. Naruto gently picked her up and carried her home, drawing gentle smile form Ino. She loved seeing father and daughter together.

Saturday was spent much the same way, only this time, Naruto began to train her in channeling her chakra in a way that was more conducive to her hyperactive self. These were the same techniques that Naruto himself had used in his younger days and they really seemed to work well for his daughter. Ino, on the other hand, began to train her in the ways of the kunoichi. Kushina seem to take to these like a fish to water, which seemed to be her mother's influence, personality-wise. When training had finished for the day, they all went to the Akimichi restaurant and had dinner together, with Choji and Aoi acting as their servers for the night. Aoi made such a fuss over Kushina, much to the younger girls delight, and presented the young Hyuga with a large dish of ice cream for dessert, much to Naruto's and Ino's chagrin. They spent much of the remainder of the night chasing down an extremely hyper dark-haired girl around Konoha. It was well after ten p.m. when they all finally made it back to the Namikaze estate, thoroughly exhausted.

Kushina stood in the backyard of the house Sunday afternoon, playing near the small pond her grandfather had put in for her grandmother. She had been outside for quite a while now, practicing all the chakra exercises that Naruto had taught her when she actually decided to put the lessons to good use. Forming a string of hand-signs as fast as her small hands could manage, she forced a huge amount of chakra into her eyes as she called out one word.

"BYAKUGAN!" she yelled, throwing as much force behind the word as she could. Much to her surprise and delight, the world shifted before her eyes. All the colors faded, leaving everything in shades of black, white, and gray. Her vision expanded well beyond what she had ever thought possible, as the field of her vision spread to a full three hundred sixty degrees, surpassing even the field of her Uncle Neji. The distance she was able to see easily quadrupled, and if she focused enough, she was able to se through multiple layers of brick and stone.

"Wow! This is so cool!" she yelped as she spun around and around, becoming slightly dizzy from the motion and the fact that she could see everything around her. She stopped when she focused her vision on the house, forcing her way through layers upon layers of stone and wood until she was able to actually see Naruto and Ino standing in the living-room, talking and holding hands. Kushina smiled, thinking about how cute they looked, until she saw a blue line of lights running through Ino's body, as well as three different colors of lights running through Naruto's: blue, red, and purple.

"Chakra! I can see chakra!!" Kushina cried happily as she began to dance around, focusing her newly acquired vision all around the estate, until a new light caught her attention, causing her to stop. Focusing even more, she realized that the light was coming from just behind the back wall of the grounds. It was dim, very dim, but she was able to make it out: it was the chakra network of a man hiding behind the wall.

Before she could even wonder why someone was hiding behind the wall, the figure moved at a speed she was hard pressed to follow, and it was moving closer and closer to her……

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Sho Masakami had a secret. It was a deep, dark, painful secret that he had held on to for many years, so many more years than he wished to think about. It was a secret that kept waking him almost every night from a sound sleep. It was a memory so horrible that he had to keep it a secret. If he told anyone, it would shame him, as well as destroy his standing among his peers. It was a secret that told of his cowardice, his fear, his loathing.

During the Third Great Shinobi War, Sho had been a fresh out of the Academy Genin, his mind filled with stories of honor and glory, of his fellow shinobi performing heroic deeds in the name of Iwa, of his mentors fighting to bring down the hated enemy, the village of Konoha. The accused Village Hidden among the Leaves. Oh, how he wanted so badly to go out to the field of battle, to face off against the enemy, to watch as they trembled in fear of the greatness that was Iwa, and to see the cowards as they fled in terror from his delusional sense of self. He knew that he was the greatest warrior Iwa ever produced, and he was going to prove it.

He wanted to face down and kill the dreaded Yellow Flash. He wanted to take his blade and slip it between the ribs of Minato Namikaze and watch the light slip from his eyes, he wanted to see the shock and the fear when the damnable warrior realize that he had been killed by a Genin from Iwa, the greatest warrior to ever walk: Sho Masakami.

Sho had heard of the Yellow Flash, of course, just as everyone else in Iwa had since the war had began. His name was whispered in the shadows, with people looking over their shoulders like he was some unstoppable demon that would appear from the dark and slit their throats with a malicious grin on his face. Even the great and terrible leader of Iwa, the Tsuchikage himself, was said to be so frightened of the Namikaze that he slept in an underground bunker, surrounded by at least twenty ANBU. He even ordered a flee on sight order for all Iwa nins. He had lost so many to that man it was frightening. Sho thought it was the orders of a coward, He would show the world that Namikaze wasn't invincible, and that Sho Masakami was the greatest warrior to ever live.

His peers laughed at him when he would go around, bragging about how he was going to slay their dreaded foe and present his head to the Tsuchikage, who would then step down and allow Sho to become the undisputed leader of Iwa. He was subjected to jeers, threats, and physical abuse for his views, but he refused to back down. He was going to prove to all the fools once and for all that he WAS the greatest warrior!

It all finally came to a head one day, when the Tsuchikage ordered the vast majority of his forces to gather and launch one final, overpowering, all-encompassing attack to crush their hated rivals once and for all. Iwa easily had twice as many shinobi available as Konoha, along with many more ninja from his allies at his command. This would be the day that Konoha would fall. Sho was thrilled, at last he would be able to show everyone how great he was. He would kill the bastard Namikaze.

The atmosphere was charged as Sho and the rest if the nins waited in their staging areas, ready to launch their ultimate victory. Many of his comrades walked among themselves, shaking hands, hugging, patting each other on the back. They knew that this would be the last time many of them would ever see each other ever again. Battles and wars are that way, you never know when it would be your end. You always make your peace before you leap into the teeth of the demon known as War. Sho didn't understand what was going on. Why weren't they excited? Didn't they know this was their chance to win glory eternal? Didn't they understand that they had nothing to fear, especially now that he was here to slay they bastard Namikaze? Surely, they knew that he would end the war!

It's amazing how his stupidity vanished once the order to attack was sent. Sho was one of the first to leap from his position and cross the open expanse of the battle field before him. His fellow shinobi quickly and silently followed suit, hot on his heels and quickly passing the green Genin as they ran straight for Konoha's lines. Everyone's heart grew bolder when they saw no resistance from the Leaf defenders. In fact, the only resistance they saw was a lone shinobi who stepped into the battlefield and threw a single, strangely-shaped kunai at the advancing Iwa warriors.

"Kage Kunai no Jutsu!" the lone warrior yelled, creating a thousand kunai from the one. Sho was impressed, but he knew that one warrior and a bunch of kunai couldn't stop the army. It couldn't deny his glory. That's when the screams started.

Sho glanced around and saw that most of his fellow shinobi had managed to doge the flying kunai, but several had not been able to as shinobi began to fall across the field, the shaped metal Harbingers of Death protruding from their bodies. He shook his head at the foolishness of those that had fallen, being so inept that they weren't able to doge the oncoming weapons. Sho was quickly shaken from his contemplations when he felt a sharp pain radiating from his left thigh. Before he was able to register what had happened, he came crashing to the ground, sending waves of pain throughout his young body. That's when it happened.

In a flash of yellow light, the lone shinobi they faced vanished. Sho watched in horror as the hated yellow light began to dance around the battlefield with a speed unheard of, dropping Iwa nins like flies. Sho yelled in pain as he felt a heavy weight suddenly fall upon his injured leg, quickly followed by a shower of blood as the first weight disappeared before the weight of a dismembered comrade fell on his like a sack of rocks. Sho laid buried there, watching helplessly as the light flowed over the field and slaughtered the entire combined army of shinobi. When the light stopped, Sho realized what had happened as he finally recognized who was standing alone in the middle of the field.

Minato Namikaze had just single-handedly terminated their entire army.

As night fell, Sho managed to crawl out from under the bodies he had been buried beneath and finally saw what had brought him down as he stared at the strange kunai sticking out of his leg. After removing it and throwing it aside, he painfully crawled through the dark forest toward Iwa's forward attack base. The guards were shocked to see the lone Genin struggling down the pathway, covered in blood and gore, with a very obvious and nasty looking wound on his leg. He was scratched, bruised, and looked like he had been sent through a meat-grinder, but he was also the lone survivor of the battle.

Sho's career took off after that, as he was taken immediately to the Tsuchikage, who was suitably impressed with the story Sho had managed to weave about how he had managed to stand toe-to-toe with the Great Yellow Flash in battle, the last Iwa shinobi standing before coward had stabbed him in the leg and then fled with his tail between his legs. The Kage and his advisors were happy that at least one of their warriors were able to hold off the Yellow Flash, so he quickly gave Sho a field promotion to Chunin and sent him back to Iwa to let everyone know that the Yellow Flash wasn't invincible after all.

Sho basked in the praise Iwa showered upon him, but inwardly he was ashamed and frightened. He was ashamed about how he hid beneath the dead bodies of his comrades as the Konoha nins checked the battlefield for survivors. He was ashamed at how he soiled himself in fright when he was how much sheer power the Namikaze possessed. He was frightened that the Namikaze might come back and finish the job he started on the battlefield and slay Sho in the streets of Iwa to show how much of a fraud Sho was. He was afraid that his comrades and leaders would discover exactly what had happened and how he had lied to make himself look like Iwa's savior. It was this fear and shame that followed him everyday of his life ever since. He swore he would take his vengeance out on the Namikaze.

It was a sad and infuriating day when Sho learned of the damned Namikaze's death during the battle with the Lord of the Bijuu. He felt cheated, he felt like Fate conspired against him to keep him from redeeming himself in his own heart. The Tsuchikage shook his head and apologized to Sho, telling him how sorry he was that Sho would not be able to face off against the Namikaze again to prove that Iwa shinobi were greater than Konoha's. Sho nodded his head and agreed with his leader, but inside he seethed at not being able to personally slay the damned Yellow Flash. For years he seethed and mourned the loss of his ability to take vengeance upon his hated foe, and it seemed the damned Namikaze had managed to die without any family or heirs that could be punished for his transgressions against Iwa.

Eventually, Sho became a very high ranking Jounin among the Iwa ranks, and many younger shinobi looked upon him with awestruck eyes as he wove tales of his battle with the Yellow Flash, and they all swore that they would work hard and make him proud. Many lived, even more died in their quest for Glory Eternal, which made Sho feel even worse knowing that he was the cause of so many young shinobi throwing themselves to their deaths so needlessly. He had finally gotten to the point to where he was ready to resign as a shinobi of Iwa and move far, far away when he got some very shocking news indeed.

Minato Namikaze had a son! That son was a famous Konoha nin, ranked S-Class in the Bingo Books, master of the Sage Arts, and jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. It was even said that shinobi was slated to succeed the Sannin Tsunade as Hokage. An evil smile crept upon Sho's face when he realized that he could finally get his revenge by slaying the son of the Fourth. Knowing that the current Tsuchikage would never approve of a mission to kill the hated son of his nightmare, Sho quickly scheduled a vacation and disappeared, heading straight for Konoha. He was going to murder Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze!

Sho silently cursed his luck when he felt a chakra spike as he hid behind the back wall of the Namikaze estate. Suppressing his chakra to the lowest level he could, he prayed that the chakra blocking cloak he was wearing would be enough to keep him hidden from whomever it was in the backyard. He had been hidden in the same spot of the past two days and used every trick he had learned to keep from being detected, bidding his time until he could catch the jinchuuriki completely unawares and slaughter him like the pig he and his father both were.

He had been told by the scientists at Iwa that this particular cloak would hide his chakra signature from just about anyone, but cautioned him to avoid any Hyuga that may be close by. They knew that the Byakugan would be able to see through it easily. So, Sho slowly slid a small spyglass through a hole he had discovered in the wall and peered inside. His heart sank when a small girl inside turned in his direction, the Byakugan blazing in her eyes. He knew his cover had been blown, and cursed his luck once more for he had no desire to harm a child. The little girl's eyes grew wide when she finally registered what she was seeing, causing Sho's reflexes to kick in, sending him over the wall to silence the brat.

"_Well, at least I can sell her to Kumo, they're always screaming that they want the Byakugan_," Sho's mercenary side took over as he streaked across the yard and backhanded the small child, hoping to quickly knock her out. Unfortunately, he used more strength and chakra in the backhanded slap than he had meant to, sending the little girl flying across the yard before she slammed full force into a set of stone benches, causing her to scream out in pain. Sho shook his head and dashed over to silence the girl before she could alert anyone within the house, but before he could reach her, she cried out something that caused him to stop in his tracks. His blood froze when what she had said finally made it's way through his adrenaline charged brain.

"DADDY!!!"

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"So…whatcha going to do tomorrow?" Ino asked as she walked in and handed Naruto a cup of tea before sitting down on the sofa next to her fellow blonde. After he gave her a quizzical look, she smiled and decided to clarify herself. "About Kushina and work?"

"Well, since I kinda figure that showing her how I do Grandma's paperwork would bore her to death, I've got several chakra control exercises I'm gonna have her work on," the Sage replied as he took in the sight of his friend. Ino was dressed in a very pretty flirty sundress that she had bought the previous week. It showed off her perfect curves and her long, luscious legs that seemed to draw Naruto's attention more day by day. He quickly shook himself mentally before Ino could notice and accuse him of being a pervert.

"Don't tell me you're going to have her doing lessons all day long while you goof off!" Ino replied sternly, giving Naruto her patented 'Evil-Eye'. The Sage merely shook his head and laughed a bit, frustrating Ino somewhat. It seems he was growing immune to the Evil-Eye. She'd have to work on that.

"Naw, I'm gonna help her! While my clones do the paperwork, the two of us are going to be 'playing games'," he responded, drawing a quirked eyebrow from the lovely kunoichi at his side. "I've disguised the exercises as games to keep her attention. If I treated them as lessons, she'd grow bored just like I did when I was younger. She's too much like me, unfortunately. But, if I treat them like games, she'd love to do them, after all, she's always loved playing with her Uncle Naruto!"

"Holy shit!" Ino exclaimed, then looked around quickly to see if Kushina was around. Neither Hinata or Naruto wanted anyone cursing around her, which Kiba learned much to his chagrin the previous day when he ended up landing in a pond two hundred yards away from his previous position after cutting loose with the f-bomb right in front of Naruto, Ino, and Kushina.

"Don't worry, she's in the backyard," Naruto explained as he rubbed the small seal he had tattooed to his right wrist. It was spiral in design and matched one on the necklace he had given his daughter the previous Friday. It helped to keep track of her at all times.

"I can't believe you actually thought of that yourself! It's genius!" Ino said, shock clearly evident in her voice. Naruto pouted and crossed his arms at the tone of her exclamation.

"I'm not that dumb, you know! I can come up with a good idea every once in a while," Naruto muttered, obviously put out at his friend's opinion of him. Ino realized how it sounded and reached over, patting his leg soothingly.

"I know, silly! I didn't mean it to sound so mean, I promise!" she apologized and smiled at him, drawing a warm smile in return. Ino felt her heart surge every time she saw his real smile. Many people didn't get to see it very often, but Ino saw it quite often, and it always made her feel special.

"It's okay! I just wished that someone had done that for me when I was her age! It would have helped so much," Ino's heart went out to him as he got a distant look in his eyes, the same look he always got whenever he thought about his childhood. Ino hated to see the deep-seated pain within, and decided to do something about it. In a flash, she left her place on the sofa and found a place that was much more comfortable: Naruto's lap. Before he could protest, she reached out and began to stroke the whisker marks on his cheeks, drawing a small smile and a deep purring sound from the Sage. Ino giggled at his reaction.

"Why do you do that?" the male member of blonde duo asked as the female member continued her ministrations. Ino smirked as she temporarily stopped and looked at his face, his eyes closed in contentment.

"Are you griping?" she asked teasingly, her light-blue eyes twinkling with mischief and glee.

"No, just wondering….mmmmm," the jinchuuriki replied as the kunoichi began to stroked his face once more, giggling like crazy at the reaction she was invoking. However, once she began to feel something stirring beneath her, she came to the conclusion it was time to move. She made sure to take her time getting up out of his lap, though, and much to Naruto's pleasure, gave him a good look at her legs.

"What else are you gonna do?" Ino asked as she took his empty cup and placed it on the table next to hers before reaching out and pulling him from the sofa. She always got a thrill whenever he would stand before her. Ino loved to look up into his bright blue eyes, to inhale the scent of cedar and pine as they stood close to one another, to feel the safety and warmth that always seemed to radiate from her favorite shinobi. She held his hands, enjoying the feel of them, hands that could be hard as steel to his enemies, but as soft as the finest silk to those he loved.

"I can't tell you, it's a surprise! Just wait until Grandma……" Naruto suddenly stopped in mid-sentence, instantly putting Ino on alert. She watched him closely as he glanced around, as if he were looking for something elusive.

"What's wrong?" she asked, worried about the puzzled look on his face. Still looking confused, Naruto shook his head as if trying to clear it of some sort of annoyance.

"I'm not sure, it's like something feels out of place. I've felt it several times the past couple of days, I just haven't been able to place my finger on it!" he answered, his eyes still holding their far-off look before he shrugged and glanced back down at his friend and smiled warmly for her. "So what were we talking about again?"

"Well, you were about to tell me what this big secret was," Ino said seductively, knowing she was going to use every trick in the kunoichi handbook to worm it out of him.

"Yeah, right! Sure I was!" he replied sarcastically, a smirk on his face at the pout on Ino's lips. Before he could say anything else, the seal on his wrist burned like hellfire just as something he never thought he would ever hear tore through the compound.

"DADDY!!!"

"**KIT!**" Kyuubi screamed, slamming as hard as he could to get out of the cage to go rushing to the small girl he considered one of his own.

"KUSHINA!!" Naruto yelled as he and Ino both snapped their heads around toward the direction of the backyard. What happened next startled Ino to no end, as Naruto disappeared in a bright yellow flash.

"What the hell?" Ino wondered as she, too, disappeared, only in a swirls of leaves as opposed to a large mass of photons…..

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"You stupid fucking brat," the Iwa Jounin seethed as he roused himself from his very temporary paralysis and began to reach down to silence the little pest. He noticed that she was bleeding from several places on her body, especially from one of her small legs. He cursed himself for loosing control and damaging what would be a very valuable prize for him after this mission was over. Suddenly, he caught sight of a yellow flash out of the corner of his eyes, causing him to lose control of his bladder. Before he could even move he felt something grab his collar and hurl him toward the back wall of the Namikaze compound. He hit with a sickening thud and slid to the ground in a heap, unable to move.

"**JUST WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND WHY HAVE YOU HURT MY DAUGHTER?!**" the being before Sho roared as Killer Intent the likes of which Sho had never felt before poured like waves off of the malevolent force that stood before the stunned Jounin.

It was obviously human in shape, but the sheer power that poured off it was incredible. It's eyes were blood red like that of a demon, with claws on it's hands that looked as if it could rend steel without a thought. The fangs that hung from it's mouth rivaled any of the great predators of the forests, but what frightened Sho the most was the chakra that surrounded it. It had the appearance of that of a huge fox, with three large tails waving behind it.

"W-what are y-you?" Sho stammered, finally gaining control of his mouth as his breath slowly returned to his lungs. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't human!

"Naruto!" Ino screamed, startled at the transformation of her friend as she knelt by the small injured girl, checking her over for serious wounds. Unfortunately, she found several that required immediate attention. "Kushina's hurt!"

"Baby?" Naruto asked as he appeared next to Ino and his daughter in the blink of an eye, his features instantly returning to normal as his chakra cloak vanished. It broke his heart to see his little girl lying on the ground, injured beyond belief as Ino knelt above her, running a diagnostic scan. She was bleeding from several areas on her body, but the worst was from her right thigh. Blood was pouring out her leg, staining her clothes and coating the ground in a sticky blanket. "Ino, h-how bad?"

"Pretty bad," the blonde medic whispered, trying not to upset the crying girl anymore than was possible. "She's got several broken ribs, her spleen is ruptured, her liver is lacerated, and she has a severe compound fracture of her right femur." Naruto blanched.

"Ino, please help her!" Naruto begged softly, breaking Ino's heart at the sound of the pain in his voice. She had never heard that tone of voice from him ever before, but this was his daughter after all.

"I'll do everything I can, Baby, but we really need to get her to Tsunade or Shizune as soon as possible!" Naruto nodded his head, and as he bent down to pick his little girl up, a slight movement caught his eye.

"N-Naruto? N-Namikaze?" the Iwa Jounin mumbled as he slowly picked himself up off the ground and leaned heavily on the back wall he had been smashed into. Pain coursed throughout his body as he realized exactly how badly he had been injured. One arm hung limply at his side, broken at four separate places, one knee was completely blown out, the kneecap smashed to dust. Most of his ribs were broken, as well as his pelvis. Gritting his shattered teeth, he snarled. " D-daughter? I-I'm gonna f-fucking k-kill you! Y-your b-bitches too!"

"Bastard!" Naruto growled as his chakra cloak appeared around him once more. Shooting out chakra claw, the jinchuuriki snatched the mangled mass that was the Iwa nin and dragged him over. Sho's eyes grew wide and he lost the contents of his bowels as Naruto's blood red eyes stared directly into his. "Who the fuck are you and why do you want to kill us?!"

"Vengeance… is what I want! You're father…dead….I was cheated…kill you and your…little bitch…instead…show the world…I'm the best…Iwa is best…Konoha sucks," Sho gasped as he tried to force more air into his lungs, but to no avail. Naruto's chakra claw was just too strong. "Yellow Flash…killed everyone…but me…battle…I'll kill you!"

"I doubt that," the Sage replied as he turned his head to address Kushina. "Hon, I need you to close your eyes and turn your head for a few seconds, okay? Whatever you hear, I need you to keep them closed until I tell you to open them, alright?"

" 'Kay," the young Hyuga gasped between sobs, tears still streaming down her face, despite everything Ino did to try to relieve her pain.

"Good girl!" Naruto replied as he turned back to his prisoner. "Normally, I'd give you over to Ibiki for interrogation, but the fact that you injured my daughter has signed your death warrant!"

"F-fuck you!" Sho spat, blood and teeth shooting out of his mouth and disintegrating when they contacted the cloak, "I'm the best! I'm gonna kill you! I can't end like this!"

"You're life is a waste," Naruto seethed as he completely closed his chakra claws, ending the Iwa nin's life and sending body parts flying across the yard. Dropping his cloak, Naruto turned around and knelt back down beside his daughter, blocking her view of the carnage. "Okay, baby, you can open them now!"

"I'm sorry, Daddy, I'm sorry!" the dark-haired little girl sobbed as Naruto bent down and picked her up ever so gently. He looked down at her quizzically as he held her close, surrounding her with his natural warmth.

"What are you sorry for, hon?" he asked gently, causing Kushina to sob even harder. Naruto was afraid that he was holding her too tightly and looked over at Ino, who shrugged her shoulders.

"I wasn't strong enough to stop the bad man! I'm a bad kunoichi! I'm sorry!," she bawled, and was beginning to sound somewhat tired. "I..I also told Mommy's secret! I held on to it for a long time…but when the bad man showed up and hit me…I just wanted my daddy! I wanted you, Daddy!"

"Kushina, sweetie, how long have you known about your daddy? Who told you?" Ino asked softly as she began to run another diagnostic scan on her, worried about how pale Kushina was becoming.

"I…I heard Mommy and Uncle Neji talking about it one day a long time ago," Kushina replied softly between sobs, worrying Ino even more. "They said it was a secret to keep me and you safe, Daddy! They…didn't know I was awake when they were talking. I'm sorry Daddy, please don't be mad at me! Don't hate me!"

"Oh god, Baby! I'm not mad at you! I could never hate you! You're my little girl, right?" Naruto replied as tears began to stream down his face. Ino saw this and began to tear up as well.

"Why are you crying, Daddy?" Kushina asked, her sobs growing softer. Naruto shook his head trying to stop the tears, but only made it worse.

"Because I'm happy and sad, hon!" Naruto explained as his daughter gave him a confused look. "I'm so happy that you know I'm your daddy! It makes me feel good to hear you call me that! But I'm sad, too."

"Why?" the pale-eyed girl asked softly.

"Because my little girl got hurt, and I couldn't do anything about it!" he replied as he moved her around gently so he could hold her with one arm. With his free one, Naruto reached into his weapon's pouch and pulled out one of his three-pronged kunai just as several members of ANBU showed up in a flurry of leaves.

"Naruto, what's wrong…Kushina!" the dragon-masked ANBU exclaimed before he tore his mask off and looked at the injured little girl in Naruto's arms. "What happened?!"

"Uncle Neji…you're in your neat suit!" Kushina beamed as brightly as she could, before breaking down into quiet sobs again, "A bad man hurt me, but Daddy beat him up!" Neji's eyes grew wide at her revelation, then looked up into Naruto's eyes.

"Later! What's left of the intruder in behind me, make sure to seal it up in a scroll and take it to my office and lock it up! Then get a hold of Tsunade and get her to the hospital as soon as possible! Let her know what happened!" With that, Naruto hurled his kunai toward the hospital as hard as he possible could. A loud sonic boom was heard throughout Konoha as the kunai broke the sound barrier streaking toward the center of town.

"Let Hinata know what happed, too, and have her meet us at the hospital!" Naruto commanded as he wrapped an arm around Ino.

"Yes, Lord Namikaze!" Neji and the rest of his squad replied as Naruto, Ino, and Kushina vanished in a yellow flash before their startled eyes. Neji ordered two of his men to round up the parts of the intruder's body, sent the third one to find Tsunade, and then left to find his cousin……….

End of Chapter 17


	18. Chapter 18

-1To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 18

Sakura Haruno was walking out of Konoha Hospital after her latest check-up, her little son in her arms, when a loud sound reverberated throughout the village. Before she could register any surprise at the unexpected noise, a red-hot object streaked through the air and slammed into building not more than two feet away from the doorway. The slap of supersonic steel burying itself into the stone wall caused the pink-haired medic to jump, waking her slumbering child. Sakura cringed, expecting to hear the ear-piercing cry of her baby, but was astonished to hear a small giggle come from the small Uchiha's lips.

"What was that, J…," she began but stopped suddenly when a bright yellow flash filled her eyes, temporarily blinding her. A second later, her vision cleared enough to see three figures standing before her, which was strange, since the area had been completely clear only seconds before.

"MEDIC!" Naruto bellowed as Ino rushed inside to get a gurney for the small broken figure in the Sage's arms. Naruto was so focused on the task at hand that he failed to notice the presence of Sakura or her child. Normally, this would have annoyed his former wife, but after realizing who was in Naruto's arms as small gasp escaped her lips.

"Kushina?!" Sakura asked as the blonde finally realized who was standing before him.

"I don't have time right now, Sakura! Kushina's hurt bad!" Naruto explained as he began to head for the door just as Ino burst out of the door with an empty gurney.

"That was…fun…Daddy…can we…do it…again?" the little girl asked, drawing a small smile from the jinchuuriki. Sakura's eyebrow shot up at what Kushina said, but waved it off as loss of blood. The amount that covered all three of them was frightening.

"Maybe later, baby! We gotta get you better first," Naruto soothed as he placed her on the gurney. "Where the hell is Tsunade?"

" 'Kay," Kushina whispered before losing consciousness. Naruto's eyes grew panicked as Sakura and Ino both went into full-blown medic mode.

"Report," Sakura ordered as she followed Naruto and Ino inside and handed her son off to a trusted nurse. The pink-haired medic spotted the compound fracture of the right femur and began a diagnostic jutsu.

"She was attacked several minutes ago by an Iwa shinobi, probably a Jounin from the looks of it. Severe compound fracture of the right femur, possible ruptured spleen, several broken ribs, possible liver laceration, massive blood loss, a possible concussion, several surface abrasions and lacerations," Ino called of as Sakura continued her scan.

"Confirmed the ruptured spleen, Liver laceration is uncertain, we'll need a deeper scan for that," Sakura commented as she and Ino pushed the little girl into an exam room. Naruto continued to hover around the bed, unintentionally getting in the way of both medics. "Naruto, we need the space to work on Kushina, would you please step outside?"

"But…but Sakura…," the Sage pleaded, concern so very evident in his eyes. Sakura was a bit puzzled, she knew that Naruto cared for the injured little girl, but his worrying was bordering on the frantic, like that of an upset parent. Shaking her head, she locked onto his bright blue eyes to get his attention.

"Look, Naruto, I know how much you care for Kushina, but we need the room to work! Any second now, this room is going to fill up with other doctors and nurses that are going to help her. You are just going to be in the way! Please, why don't you go find Tsunade and tell her what's going on, and tell her we need her stat!" the pink-haired kunoichi ordered as she shoved the Sage out of the way so as to get a better look at Kushina's leg wound.

"I---I already ordered Neji to do so, as well as to notify Hinata," he replied sadly as he stood back against a wall as other people began to rush into the room and began to hook I.V.'s up to his daughter, hanging bags of saline and blood to replenish the small girl's depleted supply of crimson humor.

"She's got several hairline fractures of her left ulna, and most of the bones in her right hand are crushed," Sakura muttered, shaking her head, "Confirmed the concussion, as well as a small cranial fracture…"

"Damn, this child should be dead," one of the nurses said, earning a glare from Ino and Sakura both.

"Oh God," Naruto moaned, pulling at his blonde hair in frustration. Right now, he and Kyuubi both were at war with themselves. They both wanted to stay in the room and watch after the young Hyuga, but they both wanted to march to Iwa and raze the village to the ground.

"Naruto, get the hell out of here!" Sakura barked, drawing a pleading look from her ex-husband.

"Sakura, I'm begging you! I know we've had our differences, but please, save her!" he pleaded as his blue eyes met her green ones. She was astonished to see tears welling up in those bright blue pools that used to gaze lovingly at her. Deep down, she missed that feeling.

"I'll do everything I can, Naruto, you know that," she replied softly, but she could still see a glimmer of doubt. She was shocked to see him look over to Ino for confirmation.

"It's okay, Naruto, she'll be okay, me and Sakura will make sure of that! Tsunade will be here soon and she'll be good as new! I promise!" Ino replied soothingly, doing her best to calm the man that meant so much to her. Seeing him such a state was tearing her heart up.

"You…you promise?" he asked , his eyes locking onto the still form of his daughter. "I mean…she was talking just a few minutes ago, and.…and…"

"She's in the best hands in Konoha, I promise!" Ino answered him back, reassuring him. Naruto shook his head slightly in return.

"Oh…okay. I'll be outside looking for Granny and Hinata…let me know if anything happens, okay?" he asked, getting a nod from Ino before he left the room.

"I've never seen Naruto that worked up before," Sakura murmured as she began to send wave after wave of healing chakra into Kushina's small form to help stabilize her before Tsunade arrives.

"She's…very special to him, Sakura," Ino replied as she concentrated on helping her former friend heal the little girl she wanted to be a stepmother to one day……

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"Grandma!" Naruto yelped as he watched Tsunade barreled through the front doors of the hospital just minutes after he had been kicked out of the room. He ran up and wrapped the older blonde in a hug as tears began to slide down his face.

"It's okay, Naruto, it's okay," she said as she hugged him back before breaking the embrace and looked at him. "What happened and where's Kushina?"

"We were attacked by a nin from Iwa," Naruto explained as he and Tsunade began to run toward the room Kushina was in, "She was playing in the backyard when he jumped over the fence and attacked her!"

"Let me guess: he was here to kill you because of your father?" Tsunade asked as she peeked through the doorway to see what the situation was before she proceeded on a plan of action.

"Yeah, and Kushina got hurt because of it!" Naruto replied sadly as his head hung low and tears fell from his eyes.

"You can't blame yourself, Naruto! You know it's the life we lead, if it wasn't an enemy of your father's, then it would have been a…," Tsunade stopped when the Sage's head snapped up and he locked eyes with her.

"Tsunade, please….go save my daughter," he begged as tears continued to slide down his cheeks. The Hokage's jaw dropped at the bombshell Naruto had just dropped.

"You…you knew?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock. Naruto nodded his head sadly. "How long?"

"I've always known," he answered quietly before Tsunade turned and walked into the exam room, asking for an immediate update….

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"Naruto?" as soft voice called out about a half an hour after Tsunade entered the room. His head snapped up and saw Hinata and Neji walking down the hall toward were he was sitting on the floor. Naruto's heart sank when he saw the obvious worry on Hinata's face, knowing that he was the cause of her pain.

"Hinata," he gulped as he looked up at Neji, who nodded his head and walked toward the nurse's station to see if he could get an update on Kushina's condition. "Did…uh…did Neji fill you in on what happened?"

"No he didn't, he just told me that something had happened to Kushina and that I needed to get down here as soon as I could," the young Hyuga leader replied, her pale eyes wide with worry and dread. Naruto reached out and took her hands as he looked into her eyes. Hinata saw pain, absolute sheer pain deep within his bright blue pools.

"A nin…from Iwa…wanted revenge against my father and stormed the estate," Naruto's eyes flashed with anger before the sadness returned once more, "Kushina was in the backyard practicing when he attacked…,"

"Oh God, no…," Hinata gasped as her hands flew mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

"He attacked Kushina," Naruto swallowed pasted the lump in his throat as he wrapped the dark-haired mother of his child up in a gentle hug as she let out a wail of anguish. The two parents held on to one another as the horrible emotions that were locked up inside began to rush forward, hot tears sliding down their cheeks and mixing together before continuing their downward journey…….

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"This isn't good…this isn't good at all," Tsunade cursed as she continued to pour healing chakra into the small form that occupied the attention of everyone in the room. They had been working on Kushina for an hour straight without let up, and while they were making progress, there was still much to do before the little girl would be out of the woods. The Hokage, Shizune, Sakura, and Ino all worked feverishly to stabilize the young Hyuga, but at this time, they were all running dangerously low on chakra. Tsunade had even used the amount she kept stored behind the blue diamond she kept on her forehead.

"God, what happened to her to cause her to be injured so badly?" Shizune asked. She never got the story before she was rushed into the emergency room to help out the other three medics.

"That dumb-assed ex-husband of mine allowed her to be attacked by an enemy shinobi in his own estate," Sakura seethed as she continued to try to heal the poor girl before her. "Why the hell Hinata allowed him to watch over her, I'll never understand!"

"If I wasn't so busy right now, Forehead, I'd knocked the shit out of you!" Ino barked as she struggled to heal the laceration on Kushina's liver. She could feel the shame and worry of her fellow blonde through their joined seals, and it wasn't helping her at the moment. "It wasn't Naruto's fault! You weren't there, so you have no right to make statements like that!"

"Now listen here, Pig!" Sakura shot back, taking her eyes from her patient and shooting Ino a withering glance, " I was married to that dumb-ass for several years, so I should know…,"

"Shut the fuck up, Sakura!" Tsunade barked, effectively shutting the pink banshee down before she could get wound up even further. "You know that Naruto would bend over backwards and storm the gates of Hell itself to keep any of his precious people from harm! I'm sure that if Naruto knew that there was someone outside his compound planning an attack, he would have made damn sure that his daughter would be out of the way of the danger!"

You could have heard a pin drop as three sets of eyes flew open wide, staring at the blonde Hokage. All work came to a grinding halt as Tsunade finally realized what she had just announced, especially at the shocked look on the face of the former Mrs. Namikaze. The last Senju would have shot herself if she could over betraying Naruto's and Hinata's confidences. Ino shook her head, she knew that no good could come of this.

"Fuck…," Tsunade muttered.

"His…daughter?" Sakura whispered as she looked down upon the broken form before her. A torrent of emotions tore through her heart as the implications of Tsunade's announcement slammed into her like an avalanche of stone. Tsunade looked at former apprentice worriedly, knowing full well that Kushina needed the help of all four medics if she was to have any chance at living.

"Sakura! Snap out of it!" the Hokage barked, drawing the pink-haired medic out of her stupor. The former Namikaze began to work on the young girl once more, but the other three could see and feel the tension that was building up inside her. "We still have a patient that needs help!"

"What's the use?" Sakura replied as she began to try to heal Kushina once more, "We're all beginning to run out of chakra, and even if by some miracle she survives, she'll still be a cripple!" Ino's jaw dropped as she looked up and saw a flash of jealousy in those raging greed eyes.

"Shut the fuck up, bitch!" Ino snarled as she redoubled her efforts, "I don't give a rat's ass how pissed you are that Naruto has a child, we will not give up! She will live, and she will grow up to be the best damn kunoichi anyone has ever seen!"

"You…said a… bad word…Auntie Ino," whispered Kushina as she cracked open one eye and peered up at everyone. "Hi….Granny…"

"Go on back to sleep, honey," Tsunade said softly as she laid her hand on Kushina's forehead and sent out a small chakra pulse, causing the little girl to lose consciousness again. Tsunade smiled, knowing that her waking up on her own was a good sign. "We won't give up."

"_We need more chakra, and we need it badly!_" Ino thought to herself as sweat poured off her brow. "_I refuse to give up! I will not allow Kushina to live her life crippled! It would crush her dreams and it would crush her family! Oh God, where can I find even more chakra……._"

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Naruto felt Ino's desperation and determination through the link of their respective seals, but was at a loss at what he could do to help his daughter. He and Hinata continued to sit and support each other, each of them devastated over what had happen to their daughter. Hinata was shocked to learn that Kushina knew who her real father was, but she was proud of her little girl for being mature enough to understand why it was so important for her to keep it a secret.

The Hyuga leader also comforted Naruto, letting him know that she didn't blame him for what happened to their daughter, and that she was very thankful that Naruto arrived as quickly as he had to deal with the menace that had threatened and injured their little angel. She tearfully told the wounded Sage that there was still nobody else in the world that she would trust with her daughter's safety more than him. Naruto broke down after that and kept telling Hinata that he was so sorry it happened, but the dark-haired beauty just smiled sadly and wrapped him up in a hug, whispering to him that things would be alright, and that he was a great father, despite not being able to spend as much time with her as he would have liked.

Deep within the Sage, the great beast Kyuubi began to stir, prowling around his cage in a very agitated manner. He so wanted to storm into Iwagakure and slay everything within sight, be it man, woman, child or beast. That kind of thinking wasn't doing him nor any of the ones that he…_cared for_… any good. It just lead him around and around in a circle, going nowhere fast. Even now, he could feel the desperation within Naruto and Ino, he could hear the pain within Hinata's voice, and he was experiencing…Kushina's pain.

It was something that he never told either one of the blondes, of course. After all, what great Demon would want to let other, lesser beings know that he actually had a heart, or that heart was connected in no small way to the child of his container? Kyuubi remembered how startling it was the first time he felt the link, it happened right after the young one had been born. He remembered seeing through her eyes as Kushina opened her eyes for the first time, and how it was his container that was beheld in her first sight of the world. The Kitsune felt the wonder that the little one had felt the first time she felt her father's arms around her, holding her gently and letting her know the he loved her, and would always be there to protect her from the cruel world that lay outside the walls of the hospital. Kyuubi still wanted to kick himself in his own ass for not realizing right then and there that Naruto knew he was Kushina's father.

The fox had to admit, Naruto had done a fairly good job at keeping his word, despite what had happened today. But all these memories weren't helping either Kushina, Naruto, nor himself right now, all they were doing was helping to tie himself into knots. There had to be a way to help the little one! It was then that the message from Ino made it's way through his worried mind. She needed chakra to finish healing the kittling!

"**Kit! I gotta plan to help your kit**!" Kyuubi barked loudly in Naruto's mind, quickly drawing the Sage's attention away from his misery.

"_What? How?_" Naruto asked within his mind, so as not to startle Hinata. He didn't want her worrying about him, nor getting her hopes up too much.

"**No time to explain, just brace yourself! This is gonna hurt like hell!**" the Kitsune snapped back as he stood in the middle of his cage and began to gather his power.

"_Do it!_" Naruto ordered, just as a blazing pain began to erupt from his stomach. Gritting his teeth and growling softly, he placed both hands over his seal and bent over double, drawing a worried glance form Hinata.

"Naruto?" she asked softly as she reached out placed her hand on his shoulder, "What's…?" Naruto shook his head slightly.

"I'm okay," he lied as he reminded himself that this was to help his daughter. "Just…trying to help Kushina!" Hinata's eyes grew wide as she activated her bloodline. Much to her astonishment, she saw a thick, huge line of blue chakra extend from Naruto's stomach, down the hall, and through the doors of the room Kushina was currently in.

"How?" she gasped, truly amazed to see so much raw chakra being channeled by the Sage.

"Kyuubi," he grunted, "He's forcing his chakra through the seal to purify it, then using my Sage abilities, we're forcing it from my seal to the one Ino has. It…oww…should provide more than enough chakra to heal our daughter….completely!"

"What does being a Sage have to do with it?" Hinata wondered, then jumped slightly when Naruto opened his eyes, seeing that his irises had changed into a strange, cross-like pattern, indicating that he was currently using both his Kitsune abilities as well as his Sage powers. The red rings around his eyes were startling to see.

"To activate my Sage mode, I have to draw in natural chakra," he wheezed, sweat pouring down his face, "Well, if I can draw chakra in, then I can focus and expel chakra as well. We're just…using mine and Ino's seals as…conduits."

"But…you're in so much pain," she murmured as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and began to wipe the accumulated moisture from his brow.

"Doesn't matter," he replied through gritted teeth, "anything for our little girl……."

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Ino was truly beginning to get desperate. Between the four of them, they managed to stabilize Kushina to the point to where her odds of surviving the night were now fifty-fifty. However, for Ino, that wasn't good enough. She knew that Naruto's daughter had her heart set on becoming a shinobi, just like her parents, but at this stage of the game, there would be no way that Kushina would ever be able to move properly again. It wasn't a matter of a lack of skills, but a lack of chakra.

Tsunade shook her head sadly as she regarded her tiny patient. The last Senju knew that there were other doctors in the hospital that could now step in and help the little girl out, but none of them had the skills that the four of them currently possessed. At the most, if they stepped away now, Kushina might survive. She, however, would never be the same little girl who was so full of life ever again. In all probability, she would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair. That was something that was breaking the blonde Hokage's heart. Hinata and Naruto would be happy that their daughter would live, but it would be at the cost of her dreams.

Tears flowed down Shizune's face as she finally took in the overall condition of her adopted little brother's daughter. The damage was so much more severe than any of them had even guessed. Her pelvis had been broken in several places, several of her vertebrae had been damaged, and the list of internal injuries and broken bones was much longer than they had ever hoped. The total extent of Kushina's injuries hadn't been known until Tsunade herself did a diagnostic scan. Shizune's heart broke at how fragile the young girl on the table seemed right now, which was so far removed from how she had been before this incident. Kushina was so much her father's daughter when it came to that aspect, but it was another more important aspect of Naruto's they needed right now. They needed Naruto's miraculous healing abilities.

Sakura stood there in shock, her body working on autopilot. She just could not believe that Kushina Hyuga was Naruto's daughter! She felt pain, she felt anger, she felt _betrayal_. The pink- haired medic was just so stunned to learn that her former husband had given another woman a child, yet he had exploded and ruined her plans for the future when he pretty much accused her of being a slut, a tramp, a whore over what she did. Was what he did any better? No, it was much worse, in her eyes! He slept with another woman and gave her a child, and then kept her hidden for over five years! How dare that blonde-headed bastard treat her like crap when he hid such a horrendous secret! Sakura's green eyes stared at the little pile of bastard flesh on the table before her, and seriously wondered why she was trying so hard to save and heal the little bitch. The she remembered why: she was a doctor, and she had taken an oath to care for everyone. Well, the jealousy that the Haruno felt told her that the Hyuga bitch would live now, so the little tramp could heal naturally the rest of the way. She had a Namikaze to castrate!

"Okay, now we need to concentrate on mending her bones, then we'll work on her damaged musculature," Tsunade sighed as she tapped even further into her reserves, her brow wet with sweat. A nearby nurse reached over and wiped it off for her.

"Lady Tsunade, now that we have her stabilized, I think it's time that we step back and allow the other doctors to take over," Sakura replied as the jaws of the other three medics dropped, "Whatever other injuries that need to be repaired can be handled by them, then she can be allowed to heal naturally."

"Are you insane, Haruno? If we let up now, she might survive the night, but she'll be crippled for the rest of her life! You know that the other doctors don't have the experience we have at dealing with these kind of injuries, and Kushina damn sure isn't a test case for them to learn on!" Ino snarled, her eyes blazing in anger.

"It's probably the best for her anyway, Yamanaka! Her body needs rest, we're almost depleted of chakra, the other doctors need experience working these kind of injuries, and she can always have surgeries later on to take care of whatever might not have heal correctly!" Sakura snapped back.

"But if we take care of them now, she should make a full and complete recovery, without the need of further treatments!" Shizune interjected, however, Sakura turned her green eyes toward Tsunade's apprentice and did her best to hide her smirk.

"But the fact remains, we're out of usable chakra, so your argument is moot! I say we back off and let everyone else take over!" Tsunade shot Sakura a withering glance at her retort, but other than trying a few forbidden jutsus, the Senju medic was at a loss at what to do.

"Now wait just one fucking minute…" Ino began before she felt a familiar tingling in her belly, as a voice called out in her head.

"**Hang on, Blondie! Help is coming!**" Kyuubi called out to her as a sudden onrush of chakra collided with the young mind-walker's seal, sending wave upon wave of revitalizing energy throughout her system. Ino stiffened momentarily before closing and then reopening her eyes, revealing twin glowing bright blue orbs.

"Ino?! What happened?" Tsunade called out, as she watched the exhaustion on her fellow blondes face vanish and be replaced with a look of sheer, absolute determination.

"Wow! I just got one hell of a chakra boost!" Ino exclaimed as she bent back over the still form of Kushina Hyuga and began to work once more. "I need you three to guide me on what else need to be done, unless you want to pull a chicken-shit move, Haruno, and step out because of your jealousy over your ex-husband's daughter!"

"No…I'll stay and help," Sakura replied, realizing how idiotic and petty she was being by wanting to deny treatment to Kushina. The little girl had been nothing but sweet and nice to Sakura the entire time the medic had known her, watching her grow up before her eyes as Hinata kept bringing her over to allow her to play with her father. Who was she to sentence a small child to a life confined to a chair over her jealousy? Together, the four medics began to work once more to heal the injured little girl…..

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Four hours later, Tsunade, Shizune, Sakura, and Ino all walked out of the room as orderlies wheeled Kushina out on a gurney and began to take her up to private room to recuperate. Naruto and Hinata shot straight out of their seats and launched themselves toward the group of medics and their little girl.

"Granny! How's.…how's…," Naruto stammered as Hinata leaned over the gurney and was caressing her daughter's face. Tsunade smiled and held a hand up, doing her best to calm the frightened Sage.

"It's okay, Naruto," she began, watching the worry begin to fall from his face, "Kushina's alright! It was tough going for a while, but thanks to that help your…_tenant_…sent, she'll make a complete recovery!"

"Oh, thank God!" Naruto wheezed as he felt his legs begin to give out on him. Between the anxiety over what happened to his daughter and the chakra drain he experienced by sending so much to Ino to help, he felt completely wasted. Long before he could hit the floor, he felt two arms wrap around him tightly.

"It's okay, baby! I got you!" Ino whispered in his ear as she held onto the relieved Sage, who promptly wrapped his strong arms around her as well as he nuzzled his face into Ino's light blonde hair.

"Thank you, hon, thank you so very much!" he whispered back as he inhaled deeply the scent of wildflowers that always lingered in her hair, draw strength from the young kunoichi in his arms. That scent always seemed to revitalize him even in the worst of times. Ino blushed and her heart began to beat faster when she heard what Naruto had said, it was the first time that he had called her that with such affection.

"Naruto, I'm going to go upstairs with Kushina," Hinata said gently as she reached out and gently squeezed his hand as she gave Ino a bright smile. "Thank you so much, Ino!"

"You're welcome, Hinata," Ino replied, smiling back as a tear slid down her cheek, matching one that slid down the Hyuga leader's cheek.

"I'll be up as soon as I let our friends know how she's doing," Naruto replied, startling Ino a bit as she realized that most of their friends and family were standing around ( well, except for Tenten, who's pregnancy was far enough along that standing for any given amount of time was rather stressful). It seems that everyone had heard what had happened and had rushed to support Kushina and her mother, and to reassure Naruto that it wasn't his fault. Even ever stoic Neji had given both his cousin and Naruto a hug, being one of the few that knew their secret.

"Naruto…OH!" Shizune exclaimed as she was instantly bear-hugged by the grateful Sage as he thanked her profusely for helping his daughter. Tsunade's apprentice blushed somewhat, but smiled and returned her adopted little brother's hug. His relief was infectious, as Shizune felt tear well up in her eyes as he continued to hold her tight. She was going to ask his about Kushina being his daughter, but decided against it, receiving her answer in his out-flowing of emotion.

"Hey brat," Tsunade smiled as she looked upon the scene before her, "How about saving some of that for the old….OOOMPH!!"

"Thank you, Granny!" Naruto tackle-hugged his adopted grandmother, almost sending the both of them to the floor, much to the delight of all their friends. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…..," After several more minutes passed while the two blondes quietly comforted each other, Naruto finally let the elder blonde go and turned to look at his ex-wife. She had an blank look about her, the likes of which made it impossible to describe how she felt.

"Hey…uh…Sakura, I just wanted to say….."

**SLAP!!! **

You could have heard a pin drop after the echoes of Sakura's assault on Naruto's face finished traveling down the halls. Green eyes burning with fury looked up into the bright blue, albeit shocked, eyes of Naruto Namikaze as he held his hand to the side of his face. A look of rage marred Sakura's features as angry tears began to form in her eyes and travel down her face, her hand still in the air as if ready to slap her former husband once more.

"Sakura! What the fuck are you doing?!" Ino bellowed as she stepped forward and grabbed the pink-haired medic's hand to keep it from assaulting the man she cared for again.

"You sorry, hypocritical bastard!" Sakura seethed as the hot tears continued to flow down her face. "You no-good, self-righteous, adulterous piece of shit!" Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and confusion at his former wife's rant.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, his cheek still stinging from the impact of her palm to his cheek.

"Don't play games with me, you son of a bitch! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Sakura screeched as she struggled to pull her hand from Ino's grip, only to be restrained from behind by an unseen force. Casting her eyes to the side, she saw that Shikamaru had wrapped her up in his Shadow Possession Jutsu.

"Haruno! Calm down immediately!" Tsunade ordered, only to be shot a dirty look from her former apprentice as she continued to rant at Naruto.

"You acted so high and mighty, treating me like some sort of whore, a slut who destroyed our marriage when you did the exact same thing as me! You betrayed my trust first, you rat-bastard! You ruined my life and destroyed my future, my dreams for our family when you divorced me for sleeping with Sasuke when you betrayed our marriage right from the start!" Sakura barked as she continued to look at the confused expression on Naruto's face. "Oh, don't play innocent with me! You know exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Don't do this, Sakura! Not now! Not here!" Ino hissed, using every bit of restraint she had to keep from knocking the crap out of the pink-haired harpy.

"Screw you, you husband-stealing bitch! I know what's going on between the two of you, and it's not going to keep me from ruining Naruto's life and reputation like he's ruined mine!" Sakura growled before speaking up so everyone could here her. "I know all about how you slept with that Hyuga slut and fathered that little bastard bitch we just wasted all our time on!"

**SLAP!!!**

Once more, silence reigned supreme as jaws dropped all round, many looking on with wide eyes and astonishment at what had just been revealed, and over what had just happened. It was a good thing that Shikamaru had the good sense to release his jutsu as he correctly figured out what was about to happen. He knew his teammate well enough to be able to read the subtle twitching of her muscles just microseconds before she lashed out and slapped her former friend, sending the raving pink-haired woman sprawling out on the floor.

"Wha…what the hell, Ino?!" Sakura gasped as she pulled herself up into a seated position and cradled the side of her face that now sported a nice red spot the shape of Ino's hand. Ino looked down on her fellow kunoichi with both anger and relief. What everyone but Ino had failed to notice during Sakura's tirade was that the instant Sakura had insulted Hinata and Kushina, the nails on Naruto's hands had turned into claws and she felt his urge to rip Sakura's throat out through their combined seals. Ino acted in all their best interests, and released a bit of her anger at the same time.

"I just save your life, you stupid bitch," Ino whispered as she bent down close to Sakura's ear, then cast her eyes towards Naruto's hands. Sakura visibly paled when she saw his steel-rending claws extending from his finger tips. She gulped as she barely nodded her head as Ino stood back up once more and stood my Naruto's side.

"Holy…" began Choji, his wife patting his hand.

"…shit…" Temari added, her eyes wide.

"Kushina is…" Shino muttered, his expression inscrutable behind his hood and glasses, but the buzzing of his beetles a clear indication of his shock.

"…Naruto's…" Shikamaru continued, taking hold of his wife's hand.

"…daughter, yes," Neji concluded, his eyes downcast, knowing that their carefully crafted secret was now out.

"WHAT?! You knew all along?!" Tenten barked as she punched her husband in the ribs, causing the Hyuga genius to wince in unexpected pain. "Oh, you are so going to get it when we get home!"

"Yosh! Naruto's Flames of Youth burn brightly in the image of his beautiful little daughter! He shows us the way to the future!" Lee yelled, drawing strange looks from the rest of his friends.

"Huh?" Konohamaru asked, utterly confused by the outburst from the strange Jounin.

"Dude! Naruto! Sweet! You got to bang two of the prettiest chicks in Konoha and had a kid by one! Now you're working on a third! What's your secret?" Kiba barked then suddenly grew quiet as all eyes in the room turned and glared at him. "What?"

"Mutt," Naruto muttered before turning back to his ex-wife, his rage calmed somewhat as his claws retracted back into his hands. "Sakura, I never betrayed you or our marriage…"

"Oh really? Well, that little bi…uh…girl I just worked on prove otherwise!" Sakura snorted, still sitting on the ground where she had fallen. She caught herself, knowing now how strongly Naruto felt about anyone calling his daughter names.

"Sakura," Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "How long were we married?"

"Five years," she replied instantly, her anger still evident in her voice.

"How long did we date before that?" he asked calmly, like he was trying to explain something to a small child.

"A year," Sakura grunted, her arms crossed and refusing to look at her ex-husband.

"So, we were together a total of six years, right?" he asked as he walked over and lifted her up from the floor, much to her surprise. She nodded her head dumbly. "Sakura, Kushina is a little over six years old. Add nine months to that, and you'll see that Hinata and I were together before you and I ever began to date."

"Oh," she mumbled, suddenly ashamed of accusing the Sage of wrongdoing. She had grabbed onto the idea that he had betrayed their marriage before she had, so that she could let go of the guilt that seemed to cling to her heart, despite the fact she was now with the man she loved. "When….when we were together, did you ever think that I was…her… when we were….?"

"No, never," he replied sadly, the pain of her betrayal still evident in his eyes, "That's the reason she and I didn't get married, she knew I loved you at the time."

"Oh…okay…uh, I'm sorry," Sakura apologized as she began to retreat down the hall, wanting to put that scene behind her. Right now, all she wanted to do was go pick up her son and go home to Sasuke.

"Sakura," Naruto called out, causing her to stop and turn on her heel. "Thank you…for saving my daughter."

"You're…you're welcome, Naruto,' the medic replied, a small, sad smile on her face before she turned back around and retreated back down the hallway out of sight.

"Okay everyone, now that we've got that little bit of drama out of the way, let me explain that everything you just heard is a S-class secret," Tsunade explained as she got everyone's attention. "All the doctors and nurses have already been sworn to secrecy, as have Neji's ANBU squad, upon pain of death. This must stay a secret! Naruto and Minato both have way too many enemies out there, and if they knew that the Hyuga heir was actually a Namikaze…well, it wouldn't be pretty!" Everyone in the room nodded in a agreement before they all began to file out of the waiting area, either to head back to their homes or to go upstairs and check up on the sweet little girl who had them all wrapped around her finger……..

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Kushina was been having a very nice dream, one where she and a cute little red fox were running and playing in a large field of wildflowers, when she began to feel something poke her in the side. She grunted and tried to ignore the sensation, but it was becoming rather insistent, so with sadness, she waved good-bye to the little fox who winked at her and she slowly began the long, painfully slow process of returning to the waking world.

"Kushina, dear? It's Mommy, I need you to wake up for me, please?" Hinata pleaded quietly. She knew that her daughter really needed her rest right now, but the Hyuga lady wouldn't feel like her daughter was alright until she heard it from her cute little mouth.

"Hmm…Mommy?" Kushina asked softly as she slowly cracked open first one eye, and then the next as she stared up at the expectant face of her mother.

"Yes, baby, it's me!" Hinata soothed as she reached up and began to stroke her daughter's long black hair. She knew that Tsunade had used a pain suppressing jutsu on the little girl, so any discomfort she felt would be at a minimum. "Are…are you okay?"

"I'm a little sore," Kushina replied sleepily. She really wanted to go back and play with that little fox again. "Mommy, why are you crying? Did you get hurt? Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm just fine, honey," Hinata answered, amazed that her little girl would be more worried about her mother than about herself, "Lady Tsunade said I'm okay."

"Then why are you crying?" the pale-eyed girl asked her mother, puzzled.

"Well, I'm sad that my baby got hurt," the elder Hyuga replied as she bent down and kissed her little girl.

"I'm not a baby!" Kushina complained as vehemently as she could, which wasn't much seeing how she was recovering from life-threatening wounds.

"It doesn't matter! You'll always be our baby!" a familiar voice called out to her from the other side of her bed. Kushina's face lit up when she recognized it.

"Daddy!" she yelped happily as the blonde-haired Hokage-to-be stepped up to the side of her bed and bent down, hugging her gently. Suddenly, she looked back over to her mother as tears began to fill her young eyes.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Hinata asked, puzzled at her little girl's sudden shift in moods. Kushina seemed to shrink into the bed, making Hinata scared that she was reliving the attack.

"Mommy, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to tell your secret! It just kinda happened when that bad man hit me! Please don't be mad at me!" Kushina wailed, tears pouring down her face. She was so scared that she had disappointed her mother. However, rather than anger, love and understanding showed themselves on her mother's face.

"It's okay, Kushina! I'm not angry with you!" Hinata reassured as she did her best to comfort the upset young lady who was laying in the bed before her. "I'm just a little curious…how did you find out who your daddy was?"

"I heard you and Uncle Neji talking one night when you thought I was asleep," Kushina explained as her eyes began to grow heavy. "I understand why you did it, because Daddy and Grandpa had so many enemies, right?"

"Yes, dear, that's why," Hinata agreed as she looked as Naruto, who quickly nodded his head in agreement. Kushina had no need to know that had the Hyuga elders found out that Naruto was Kushina's father, the two of them would have been sealed with the dreaded Caged-Bird Seal and then cast out of the clan. Hinata, Neji, and Naruto had been working hard for the past several years to clean up the clan.

"Sweetie, why don't you go to sleep and we'll talk more when you're feeling a bit better?" Naruto suggested when he saw her fight to keep her eyes open.

"Okay Daddy," she whispered as she closed her eyes, hoping to see the little red fox again, "Promise not to leave me?"

"I'll never leave you, Hon," he replied as he bent down and kissed her pale forehead as sleep claimed her yet again…..

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Naruto held true to his word, he never left his little girl's side the entire time Kushina was forced to stay in the hospital, much to the giggles and exasperation of Hinata, Ino, Tsunade, and Shizune. When the day finally came a week later, that Kushina was fit enough to leave the hospital, Naruto was there and carried the fidgeting young Hyuga all the way back to his estate. While she loved the fact that her daddy was carrying her, she wanted to show him that she was a big girl and was strong enough to walk on her own.

"She's too much like you, Foxy," Ino giggled as she and Hinata watched the young Sage struggle with his daughter as he carried her into the house.

"Oh, hush," Naruto mumbled, drawing more giggles from the two kunoichi that followed him inside the house.

"Daddy, you can put me down now," Kushina pouted as Naruto carried her over to the couch and sat her down while a Naruto clone appeared from nowhere and produced several pillows as well as a blanket for the put-out little girl. "I'm not an inva…uh…invalve…uh…I can walk, you know!"

"I know, hon, but you just got out of the hospital, and I don't want you to wear yourself out," he replied as he placed a pillow behind her and made her lie down.

"But I wanna play!" Kushina pouted and she crossed her arms across her chest, giving her father the Evil Eye. Naruto just rolled his eyes and kept on pampering his daughter. "Auntie Ino, it didn't work!"

"I know, sweetie," Ino sighed as she took a seat in a nearby chair, "Your daddy seems immune to it."

"He probably saw way too many times back when he was much younger," Hinata commented as she sat at her daughter's feet, quickly giving one tiny foot a tiny tickle to lighten Kushina's mood. After a quick lunch of Ichiraku's ramen that was delivered especially for them, the three adults felt like it was a good time to have a little talk.

"Now that you're out of the hospital, Kushina, we thought this would be a good time for us to discuss what has happened," Hinata began as she patted her little girl's leg.

"Like what, Mommy?" Kushina asked innocently, her pale blue eyes shaded with confusion.

"Well, like about how you know who your daddy is," her mother replied, dreading what they were about to tell her.

"You see, Pumpkin, your daddy still has a lot of enemies out there," Ino began but couldn't bring herself to finish off the thought.

"It's like this, Baby," Naruto continued what the two kunoichi started, "As much as I love the fact you know I'm your daddy, we still have to keep quiet about it in public because…"

"The bad guys like the one that hit me would come after me to hurt you," Kushina finished sadly. She knew that was why her mother hid who her father was for so long. A tiny fear began to build in her heart and was quickly making it's way to her eyes, trying to force tears down her cheeks. "Does…does that mean that I can't call you…'Daddy'?"

"Oh god! No! It doesn't mean that!" Naruto quickly answered as he fell to his knees by her side and stroked her pale little face. "You can call me 'Daddy' all you want to, hon!"

"But it has to be when we're alone, okay?" her mother added. "When we're out in public, you'll still need to call him 'Uncle Naruto', alright? I know it'll be hard, but I need you to be a good little kunoichi and pretend that he's not your daddy when anyone else is around. Can you do that for us, little one?"

"Yes, I can!" Kushina answered with a nod of her head, her eyes fierce and determined. She wanted to be the strongest kunoichi ever, and if she had to pretend her daddy was her uncle in public, then that's what she'll do!

"Good girl!" Ino quipped, earning a bright smile from the young Hyuga.

"Now, you told us earlier that you were able to see the bad man that attacked you that day. How did you do it?" Hinata asked, hoping her daughter had managed to activate her bloodline.

"I used my Byakugan!" Kushina gushed, earning big smiles from the adults in the room. "Daddy helped show me how to mold my chakra just right, so I went outside and began to practice. That's when the world turned all funny colors and I was able to see through walls and stuff! I could even see chakra! I saw Daddy and Auntie Ino holding hands, then I saw the man hiding behind the back wall."

"Do you think you can show me your Byakugan?" Hinata asked. As a proud mother, she wanted to see it, and as head of the Hyuga clan, she needed to verify the next generation was able to use the bloodline.

" 'Kay!" chirped Kushina as she sat up, formed the necessary hand signs, and forced a huge amount of chakra to her eyes. "Byakugan!"

"That's my girl!" Naruto shouted as he watched the veins form around Kushina's eyes, causing a happy blush to appear on the young lady's cheeks.

"Wow!" Ino gasped and then smiled at seeing the pride on her two friends' faces.

"Very good, Kushina!" Hinata praised, extremely proud of her daughter. "Now, can you look around and tell us what you see?"

"Sure thing, Mommy!" Kushina began to scan around the room and tell her mother what she saw in the rooms beyond. Hinata nodded her head and gave her daughter a big hug.

"Now, look at us and tell me what you see," Hinata requested, getting a nod from the younger Hyuga.

"I see blue light running through Auntie Ino, with a little purple light sparkling near some funny squiggles on her belly," Kushina replied as she looked at the blonde mind walker before turning toward her father. "I see blue, red, and purple lights running through Daddy. The red seems to be stronger near some funny squiggles on his belly, too! It's the same color as the little red fox I see in my dreams!"

"Very good, dear!" Hinata replied, but before she could tell her daughter to deactivate her blood-limit, Kushina turned her eyes toward her.

"Wow! You have blue chakra like Auntie Ino, Mommy," the little girl continued, the scrunched her face up in confusion. "You have a bright little purple light in your belly, too! But I don't see any little squiggles on your tummy like on Auntie Ino's! How come?"

Silence reigned as three sets of eyes grew wide at the little girl's simple observations and question. Naruto and Ino both turned and looked over at Hinata, who quickly noticed and blushed a very deep crimson. It had been quite a while since she had turned such a color and she realized that an explanation was in order. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, a small cough came from the direction a rather startled Toad Sage.

"Ahem…Kushina, can you look at your arm and tell me what color your chakra is?" Naruto asked nervously. Nodding her head, Kushina did as her father asked.

"Cool! It's purple too!" she beamed before allowing her eyes to go back to normal.

"Uh…Ino, could you do me a favor and watch Kushina for us while Hinata and I have a little talk?" Naruto asked, pleading in his eyes. He saw a little glimpse of something in hers as well, but he wasn't quite sure what it was. Ino nodded her head and smiled brightly, despite the fact she felt like her heart was about to break. She knew that sometime in the next few minutes, she could lose Naruto forever.

"Sure, I'll watch her," Ino replied, drawing a pout from the young girl on the couch, "In fact, if she's a good girl I'll make us both a cup of hot chocolate and we can watch that movie she got as a get-well present from her Uncle Neji!"

"You mean that one with Uncle Bushy-Brow's cousin in it, the one dressed up in a yellow and black jumpsuit kinda like his?" Ino nodded as Kushina pumped her fist an the air. "Yes!"

"What is it with the Lee family? They all wear bright, funny colored jumpsuits," Naruto shook his head as he reached out and took Hinata's hand to lead her from the room.

"Like you should talk! Aren't you the same guy who wore a bright, neon orange jumpsuit that screamed 'kill me!' when you were younger?" Ino shot back, sticking her tongue out, drawing giggles from the Hyuga ladies.

"Man, why does everyone keep putting down orange? There's nothing wrong with that color! It's cool!" Naruto whined. Ino and Hinata kept on giggling until Kushina spoke up.

"I like orange, too!" the little girl piped up, drawing a big grin from her father.

"That's my girl! I knew that someone here had to have good taste!" Naruto crowed as he and Hinata began to round the corner.

"But Daddy wears too much orange sometimes," Kushina finished as Naruto deflated next to Hinata, who just grabbed his arm and began to drag him further down the hall.

"If you think he wears too much now, you should have seen him when we were younger……."

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"So….," Naruto sighed as he and Hinata walked side-by-side in the backyard amongst the flower gardens that he and Ino took such loving care in maintaining, passing the remains of the broken stone benches that had caused their daughter so much harm.

"So….," Hinata repeated as she noticed the pile of ruble, as well as certain scorch marks along the ground, " ah….was this where the Iwa nin attacked Kushina?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, he leapt over the outer wall where ANBU found the chakra cloak he was hiding under. According to them, it looks like it came straight out of Iwa R and D. Hell, it might have been the only working model they had!" Naruto snorted, clearly disgusted with the situation.

"Let me guess: only someone with a Byakugan could detect it," Hinata replied, her face grim and she shook her head.

"It wasn't foolproof, that's for sure," Naruto added, "it obviously still had a chakra bleed somewhere. I kept feeling something strange, but I could never pinpoint it! This shouldn't happen again…no…it won't happen again! I went through Dad and Pervy Sage's notes and placed as many security seals around the property that I can think of! If anyone tries to infiltrate the estate again…well, it won't be pretty!"

"Good…that's good," Hinata murmured, trying to figure out how she was going to get through the next several minutes without passing out like the old Hinata would have done.

"Hinata, stop," Naruto said as she grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him, blue eyes locking with pale lavender, "Princess, we're not here to talk about Kushina's attack, or about the security of the estate…,"

"I…I know, Love," the Hyuga lady replied softly as she wrapped the Sage in a gentle hug.

"When did you find out? Were you ever going to tell me?" Naruto asked, as small look of hurt creeping into his eyes despite the gentle smile on his face.

"I just had the test the day of Kushina's attack…that's why Neji found me at the hospital," Hinata explained softly as she listened to the rapid beating of her own heart. She wasn't sure what Naruto's reaction was going to be. "Lady Shizune had just given me the results when Neji showed up to take me to you. I remember she had just made a joke about contraception jutsus being no match for Namikaze super semen when Neji burst through the door and…and…"

"You know I'll make this right," Naruto said softly as he stroked her long black hair, drawing a content sigh from the lady in his arms. "You, me, Kushina and the baby can be together, we can be a proper family….,"

"I know, Love, I know," Hinata sighed as she leaned back and looked deep into his eyes, "but my answer now is the same as I would have given back then. You're heart still belongs to another…I couldn't take you away from her."

"Hinata…" Naruto began before she cut him off with a finger to his lips.

"I do love you, Naruto, just as you love me, but we both know that it's not that kind of love," the kunoichi explained. "You're one of the best friends I've ever had, you're loving and kind, you're a great father, and you're one hell of a lover!" She giggled as Naruto turned a very interesting shade of red.

"I couldn't come between you and Ino… I love you both too much," she continued as she placed her head on his chest and listened to the beat of his heart, "I just hope that the two of you will finally come to your senses and let each other know how you feel. It's the only way the two of you will ever heal from your wounds."

"I'm….I'm scared, Princess," Naruto mumbled, startling Hinata somewhat, "I'm broken…I'm still not quite right yet…I don't want to hurt like that again…"

"She'd never hurt you like that, Love! She'd rather die before she put you through that," Hinata replied sternly, like she was scolding a small child. "I know you're hurt, and I know she's still hurt, too! Have faith, Love! Go with your heart, it's never failed you before!"

"I know, I know," he said softly, before brightening up slightly, "So, can I be a part of our baby's life? I know I was there as often as I could be for you and Kushina, but it was hard to pretend I wasn't her daddy…."

"You better be a part of our baby's life!" Hinata barked mock-sternly, drawing a big smile from the blonde Sage. "I would never exclude you nor Ino from our children's lives! Have you ever seen how much Ino lights up whenever Kushina's around?"

"Yeah, I have! She'll be a great mother one day!" Naruto agreed until he realized what he just said, drawing a blush from him and a giggle from Hinata. "So…ah…what are we going to do about the council?"

"I think it's time to make our move," the Hyuga lady answered quietly, "We need to concentrate on removing the rest of the Caged-Bird Seals from the Branch members, then we can move to replace most of the council. I have a list of who I want to replace them with. Have you managed to come up with a seal yet to keep someone from stealing the Byakugan?"

"Yeah, I found one in Dad's writings that will do the trick," Naruto replied as the two of them began to head back toward the house, "he was going to order the Hyuga Council to use it, but the Kyuubi attacked before he could do so…….."

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Two kunoichi, one with blonde hair and one with dark, walked side-by-side down the road toward the Hyuga compound in a strained silence. Both sets of eyes were downcast as both deadly females struggled to find anything to say. It was Ino who finally broke the silence as she cast her eyes sideways to look at her friend.

"So, is it true?" she asked quietly. She dreaded to hear the answer because she knew that it would change all their lives. She feared that she was going to lose Naruto forever.

"Yeah," Hinata replied with a small shake of her head.

"I'm happy for you…for both of you, I really am!" Ino flashed her a brief smile before she began to chew on her lower lip. "So. When's the wedding?"

"I don't know, have you and Naruto set a date yet?" Hinata asked, a smirk crossing her face. She couldn't help but to burst out with laughter at the look on Ino's face. "Come on, Ino, face it! You and Naruto have it bad for each other!"

"But…but…but," Ino stammered until she felt Hinata's arms wrap around her.

"Ino, like I told Naruto, I would never stand between you two," the pale-eyed beauty comforted her friend, who she felt relax in her embrace as the words finally sank in.

"But, you two have a chance to be together, now! It's not like when you got pregnant with Kushina! You're the leader of Hyuga Clan! Nobody could deny you now!" Ino exclaimed as Hinata shook her head.

"Like I told you before: I love Naruto, just not the same way you do! It's complicated, I know, but we could never be truly happy together as husband and wife. His heart belongs to you, and I'm sure that one day, my heart will belong to someone else. Why would we put ourselves through that kind of pain? Why would I try to hurt you like that?" Hinata reasoned. Ino looked back at her, eyes moist with tears.

"But you could all be a family now! I know that's what Naruto would want…he's always wanted a family," the young mind-walker answered back before casting her eyes downward once more. "I wish I was carrying his baby."

"We are a family, Ino, all of us! Naruto, Kushina, the baby, me…you! Yes, you are most definitely a part of this rather…unconventional…family!" Hinata smiled when she saw Ino's face light up. "You two are the best friends I have ever had! Yes, Naruto is the father of my children, and you are so much like a sister that I have considered you my other sister for many years now! Kushina sees you as an aunt, just like this little one will," She patted her stomach.

"I see you as a sister, too," Ino replied as she returned Hinata's hug, causing a small tear to travel down the Hyuga lady's face.

"And who knows," Hinata continued as she and Ino began to walk down the street once more, this time the mood much lighter, "If you play your cards right, you may end up carrying his baby sometime real soon!" An evil smirk crossed Hinata's face as she watched Ino turn redder than a ripe tomato. Both women shared a good laugh as they continued their journey down the road of life………

End of Chapter 18.


	19. Chapter 19

To Live is So Much Harder….

Chapter 19

"If I could find out just who the hell created paperwork, I'd flay them alive…with a spoon," growled the Tsuchikage as he stamped his seal on one final scroll that had littered his desk for the past several days. He shook his head ruefully as he thought about his predecessor, the short mouthy little man that had lead Iwa since before the Second Great Ninja War. It was after the finish of the Fourth War before the little man had been forced to retire, and everyone discovered the secret he had kept for the longest time: he had refused to do any form of paperwork in the last twenty years! The little turd had secretly hired an army of secretaries that had been kept busy morning, noon, and night looking over the scrolls, signing important documents, assigning missions, and generally doing everything that was needed to keep the village running. It explained why the village had been in such crappy shape when he had finally been ousted.

"Uh…excuse me, Lord Tsuchikage?" a quiet voice called out as his door crept open slowly. The leader of Iwa rolled his eyes in irritation, knowing that his evening had just been ruined.

"Enter," he growled as the messenger nin shrank a bit as he quickly walked into the room and stood at attention before the Tsuchikage, hand clenched before his chest in salute. "Report!"

"Y-yes sir," stammered the messenger as he held out a scroll his leader, who quickly snatched it from his hand with a rather loud growl. "This was just delivered a few minutes ago, sir. It…it's from Konoha."

"Konoha?" the Kage wondered as he looked at the scroll like it was a used piece of toilet tissue. "What the hell does that old bitch want now?"

"I…uh…don't know, sir! It was kinda weird, though. One minute, my desk was clear, the next…this!" the messenger motioned to the scroll. This caused his leader to become extremely suspicious. However, this didn't stop him from opening the scroll.

"What the hell kind of new jutsu have the leaf lovers come up with this time… WHAT THE FUCK?!" bellowed the Tsuchikage as the scroll glowed briefly for a second before the severed head of Sho Masakami suddenly appeared on his desk.

"Oh my god…it's Master Masakami! What…who…how did this happen? The Hero of the Third War? It's impossible……oooooooooo…," With a loud thump, the messenger passed out on the floor.

"Wimp," muttered the Kage as he picked up Sho's head by it's hair and stared into the dead eyes of his recent rival. When the old man had been put out to pasture, he and Sho were the two leading candidates for the title of Tsuchikage. Sho lost by two votes and was not too pleased by the decision. The Tsuchikage remembered how Sho had vowed to show everyone that a mistake had been made, and how Masakami had asked for a vacation several weeks back. It was also about that time that an experimental chakra masking cloak had been discovered missing from R and D.

"Well, my rival, what did you get yourself into this time?" he wondered just before he noticed a strange seal on the scroll below the head, a seal that was currently beginning to issue forth smoke. Suddenly, a blinding yellow flash of light struck him as a pulse of sheer unadulterated power hurled him across the room and into the wall. Blinking his eyes several times to drive the spots from his eyes, he was finally able to make out the figure standing on the desk before him. The Tsuchikage of Iwa, the strongest ninja in his entire nation, lost control of his bowels. "Oh Crap!"

"Kendo Shirazawa, Tsuchikage of Iwagakure?" the tall blonde figure that stood upon his desk called out with all the power of a god in it's voice. Kendo warily nodded his head as he felt the waves of sheer power radiating from the figure before him. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"The Yellow Flash reborn…," the Tsuchikage stammered as his eyes locked onto the bright blue ones of his unwanted visitor. His mind was still in an absolute state of shock at how his security had been breached, and he began to make his peace with his gods. He and all in Iwa remembered the tales of the Yellow Flash, and how they all feared that he would return from the dead and slaughter them all in their sleep. Kendo knew that he was a dead man, and there was nothing in the world that could stop it.

"You're close," the blonde upon the desk replied as he dropped from the desk and proceeded to pick up the severed head of Sho Masakami by it's hair before he threw it at the feet of the Tsuchikage. "I am Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."

"The…the Toad Sage of Konoha…jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune…heir apparent to the title of Hokage," the stunned Kage recited as if read directly from the latest copy of Iwa's Bingo Book, "SS-ranked shinobi…apprentice to Jiraiya of the Sannin…son of….."

"Minato Namikaze, your worst nightmare, yes," Naruto finished as a vicious grin crawled across his face. "That is the reason I am here, returning your…_trash_…to you!"

"You killed Masakami? Why?" the Tsuchikage asked, his face a mass of confusion. "Why would you want to hunt him down and kill him? Just because he defeated your father in combat? Is that why you decided to murder him?!"

There were times in Kendo's life when he really knew he was screwed. The time his mother caught him eating a fresh baked pie she had made especially for his father. The time he was caught having sex with his sensei's daughter. The time he had to face one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist in single combat during his chunin days. But nothing, absolutely none of those events compared to how he was feeling at that moment. He squinted his eyes from the glare as he stared at the apparition before him, the awful power and beauty of the fox cloak dazzled and frightened him as he watched it literally explode from Naruto's body. He gazed in horror as the whisker marks on the Sage's face grew and deepened, his canine teeth grew into horrible fangs, and his nails morphed into claws capable of rending steel plate to ribbons. The power of a jinchuuriki was terrible sight to behold, and he once more lost control of his bladder when the glowing, blood-red eyes locked onto his own.

"Listen to me, bastard! First off, I may have killed him in combat, but I did not hunt him down and murder him! " Naruto growled in a voice that shook the Tsuchikage's office. Kyuubi sat back in his cage and wagged his tails in glee as he savored the sheer terror emanating from the pitiful bag of flesh quivering before his jailor. "He invaded my home on your orders and attacked someone very, very close to me! His death was merciful compared to what is about to happen to you and your village…"

"I didn't order him to attack you…..Arrrrrgh!" Kendo shouted in pain as Naruto appeared before him faster than humanly possible, lifted him up from the floor by his throat and smashed him through his office wall before pulling him back before the terrifying Sage's face.

"YOU LIE!!!" Naruto shouted as his grip on the Tsuchikage's throat began to tighten, cutting the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain of the frightened leader.

"It's…true…" Kendo gasped as his life began to flash before his eyes, his vision growing dark but for the flaming, bright red chakra that was beginning to burn his flesh and sear his retinas.

"**Do it, Kit! Show him he can't harm our kin!**" Kyuubi growled within his cage, enjoying the little show as it played out before him. He just wished he had a large bowl of popcorn to munch on.

"Oh, really?! Then explain this!" Naruto snarled as he reached into his pouch and removed a section of the chakra masking cloak Kushina's attacker had worn. He watched as the Tsuchikage's eyes grew wide at the sight. "Konoha scientists have identified it as having come from your own R and D divisions. The materials and the chakra manipulating seals are ones used almost exclusively by Iwa! Do you deny this?"

"No…that is…_wheeze_…part of…_gasp_ …our cloak!" choked out the Kage, his vision growing dark, "Masakami…stole…it…_wheeze_…before…vacation……." He was growing weak, his limbs were slack from lack of oxygen and strength.

"**Uh…Kit, I hate to admit this, but he's telling the truth**," the fox murmured, disappointed that his show was about to come to an end. In the past, he would have allowed his host to slaughter the worthless slime-ball without a thought, guilty or innocent. However, his constant exposure to Naruto's basic sense of right-and-wrong and his good heart had an effect on the bijuu, much to his displeasure.

"Why should I believe you?" Naruto snarled as he dropped the Kage to the floor and stepped back. The three tails of chakra that sprouted from the chakra cloak continued to whip violently around the angered Sage "I know that Iwa would love to kill me over how badly my father whipped your asses in the Third War. Why would that…_filth_…try to attack on his own? Is the discipline of Iwa's shinobi so lacking that they would try to start a war without your approval?"

"Masakami believed that he had been cheated when you father died," Kendo explained as he slowly stood, rubbing his bruised throat. "He's famous here in Iwa as the sole survivor of one of the final battles of the Third War. He returned after facing your father in single combat, a kunai wound to his leg where your father stabbed him so he could escape. The fact that a mere genin could face down the Yellow Flash gave hope to our people in their darkest hour!"

"Yeah, right!" Naruto snorted as he disappeared in a flash and reappeared behind the Tsuchikage, then began to flash around the room, appearing to be in five or six different places at the same time before ending back up across the room from the Kage. "I'm just a beginner at this technique, neither you nor any of your shinobi would be able to lay a finger upon me! My father was the master, so how would a mere genin be able to defeat him in combat?"

"That's the same thing I said when he and I went up against each other for this job," Kendo muttered, his face red at having it thrown back at him. "He lost by two votes, because of the doubt I had sown in our jounin ranks. I never really doubted him…until now."

"Idiots," the Sage growled as he crossed his arms and stared at the defeated man before him. The Tsuchikage stared down at his feet, humiliation washing over him as he finally realized that he had been defeated within the blink of an eye. Never had he suffered such a defeat before, especially one like this. He knew that his life was hanging by a thread thinner than the one holding the Sword of Damocles. "So, what is to keep me from tearing your village apart brick-by-brick and reducing your people to paupers and slaves?"

"I…cannot stop you, no matter how hard I may try. The only one that can stop you is yourself. Though it pains me to say this, Naruto of the Leaf, according to my files you are a good man. A good man would never harm innocents over the actions of one lone jealous, bitter old man," the Tsuchikage sighed, his head down in defeat.

"A good man can be pushed to his limit, and a good man can break and unleash the wrath of Hell upon your village…your nation…your home," Naruto replied coldly, his eyes promising pain and destruction on a scale unprecedented in Iwagakure's history.

"**Uh oh**," Kyuubi grumbled as he laid his head on the floor of his cage and covered it with his paws. **" Come on, Kit, you don't wanna do this…..**"

"Lord Namikaze," sighed the Tsuchikage as he shook his head. This was going to gall him, but he had to think of his family and of his people. When he became Tsuchikage, things began to change right off the bat when he swore to do everything in his power to protect the people of Iwagakure from all harm. Falling to his knees, he placed his forehead on the ground before the terrifying Sage, swallowing his pride in the ultimate form of supplication. "There is nothing I can do to stop you. The attack was a horrendous thing, and it obviously hurt and angered you beyond any and all understanding. All I can do is plead with you to not harm my people. Kill me if you must, I will not raise a hand to stop you. All I ask is that you spare my people. Our lives are yours to do with as you please."

"**Whoa**," the Kitsune within Naruto's seal exclaimed when he witnessed the actions of the humiliated Tsuchikage.

"_Whoa, indeed!_" Naruto replied before focusing upon the prostrate man before him. He gazed upon the shinobi before him, and realized that this man was a real leader, a man willing to swallow his pride and lay down his life for his people. "Yes, the attack hurt me greatly, in ways you might understand, but I refuse to divulge. Your lives are indeed in my hands. Okay, it's going to be like this…Oh for God's sake! Stand up, man!"

"Yes, Lord Namikaze," Kendo replied as he rose to his feet but refused to look Naruto in the eye.

"Look at me, Lord Tsuchikage!" Naruto barked, his voice shaking the room with the power of an earthquake. Kendo's eyes instantly snapped up and looked into the once more blue eyes of the angered Sage. "That's better. Two days from now, you will send representatives to Konoha and have them present themselves to the Hokage. At that time, a treaty will be signed, officially ending any and all hostilities between Iwa and Konoha. We will become allies."

"Yes, Lord Namikaze," the Tsuchikage replied before asking a question that he feared the answer. "What concessions are we expected to make for this peace treaty…for our lives?"

"No concessions…but one condition," Naruto answered, his eyes growing hard once more, causing Kendo to inwardly shiver. This was a man he had no desire to meet anywhere in the field of battle.

"And…and what is that?" he queried, clamping down hard on the sheer terror that threatened to well up and overwhelm him. There was something about the Toad Sage that frightened him on a primal level, like that of prey being stalked by a vicious predator.

"Simple. Iwa must give up it's vendetta against Minato Namikaze and his descendants. Namely…me, and any children and family I may have." Naruto replied matter-of-factly, his hands clasped behind his back as he began to pace the room some, taking in all that adorned the Tsuchikage's office.

"That may not be an easy thing to do," muttered the Tsuchikage as he continued to watch the Namikaze warily, still fearing for his life. "Your father killed many during the Third War…"

"Yes, a war that you and your allies started, if I remember correctly," Naruto interrupted briskly as he spun on his heel and stared Kendo down once more. "Many shinobi and civilians of Konoha died due to Iwa's unprovoked attacks. My father killed shinobi only. He never touch a single non-combatant, not one single civilian. Can your shinobi say the same?"

"No, they cannot," Kendo sighed sadly, his shoulder slumped in shame. "Still, it might be a hard sale. Some of people have long memories, and fear of your father still runs deep."

"Make them understand, Lord Tsuchikage," Naruto snapped, frustrated at the thought of his children being in danger. "If they fear my father, then the very thought of me as their enemy should cause them to scream in terror. My father was merely human, after all. I, on the other hand, am the jinchuuriki of the Lord of the Tailed Beasts. Explain to them that if anyone close to me is harmed by anyone from Iwa, or even associated with Iwa in any form…well…"

"Well what?"

"Let's just say that everything that they feared about my father will be visited upon them by a factor of a thousand," Naruto announced grimly, taking no pleasure at the threat he was making. He would much rather have allies based on trust, not fear. "Iwa will be wiped from the face of the world, it's people lost to history. Nothing, and no one of Iwagakure will remain. The very name of Iwa will be taboo, and you will be forgotten. Simple as that."

"**Wow, who knew you could speak like that? Are you sure you're not going to have a stroke from using your brain so much?**" the Fox asked cheekily before being chased off by a horde of fluffy kittens. His yelps of terror caused Naruto to smile, which did nothing for Kendo's nerves at that moment of time. The Tsuchikage was now convinced that Naruto was insane, and would easily carry out his promises.

"Is there to be an exchange of hostages? A political marriage, perhaps, to help secure the alliance? I am sure that there are many beautiful women here in Iwa that would be more than happy to marry into your family…" Kendo asked, but quickly stopped when Naruto shook his head violently and held his hand out, inviting the Tsuchikage to take it.

"No. No hostages, no marriage. I am sure there are beautiful women in your village, but I would never force anyone to marry for any reason other than love," Naruto explained, his hand still extended toward Kendo. The Kage noticed a small flash of pain cross Naruto's eyes at the mention of marriage. "I'm tired of the bullshit. I am tired of worrying about whether or not Iwa will attack my village and harm my people because of me. I want us to be friends, plain and simple. No threats, no fear, no harm. Mutual support, mutual protection. I place the fate of my family in your hands, Lord Tsuchikage, just as the fates of yours are in mine. So, what do you say?"

"Allies," Kendo agreed, nodding his head and taking Naruto's hand.

"Soon…to be friends," Naruto affirmed as he and the Tsuchikage secured the foundations of a brighter future for both nations. "So, in two days send your ambassadors and…uh…better yet, make it three days…"

"Why three days, rather than two?" Kendo inquired, his face knotting in confusion but thankful for the extra day to try to smooth things over with his people.

"Uh…well, that gives me one day to write up the treaty, one day to go over it with Grandma Tsunade and the council, and one day to recover in the hospital after she beats the crap outta me for doing this behind her back," Naruto explained as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, an embarrassed smile on his face. Kendo's eyes bugged out. First off, Naruto was there unofficially, and second, if Tsunade could put the Toad Sage in the hospital, just how powerful was the old woman who ran Konoha?

* * *

Naruto sighed as he sat behind his desk and filled out yet another scroll that the thrice-damned council had insisted was of vital importance to the village. He shook his head and wondered why the hell it was so urgent to gain appropriations for a bathhouse to be built next to the hot springs before the first snowfall of the season. Reading further, he growled in irritation when he noticed that it was to be a private bathhouse for the exclusive use of members of the council and their families. It specifically excluded the civilian population as well as a majority of the shinobi forces.

Reaching over and grabbing the appropriate seal, Naruto dabbed it in the red inkpad he had laid out before him and then pressed it rather forcefully upon the scroll. The word 'Rejected' in big red letters brought a vicious grin to his face as he rolled the scroll back up and placed it in the box of scrolls bound for Tsunade's office for her final perusal. In the two months that had passed since his little escapade in Iwa, Tsunade had given Naruto further and further latitude in dealing with issues in Konoha. That was the point of his training as her successor, after all. The Hokage had come to trust his judgment, and only insisted on reviewing his decrees before they were posted. She had yet to reject a single one of his decisions, much to his relief.

The Toad Sage sat back in his chair and smiled softly at the memory of his first diplomatic victory. He had stayed awake the first night he had gotten back and, with a generous amount of input from Ino, had fleshed out the treaty before presenting it to Tsunade the next morning. After waking up on the other side of the room, the Hokage congratulated him on a fine job, and threatened to take his head from his shoulders if he ever did anything like that behind her back again. Naruto was just glad she only gave him a love tap that day.

While he felt bad about going behind Tsunade's back, it was Ino's reaction that tore at his still mending heart. At first, she was angry at him for undertaking such a dangerous mission without letting her know about, but she quickly calmed down and helped him write the treaty that had been the biggest step toward a lasting peace since the current treaty with Suna had been signed. After the two of them had been dismissed by Tsunade so she could look the treaty over, they walked home in silence. Once inside, Ino clocked him a good one, then burst into tears. Naruto was completely confused until the gorgeous blonde rushed him and wrapped him up in a huge hug, bawling the whole time and crying about what an idiot he had been. He hugged her back and told her that everything was okay as he rubbed her back, as she explained to him between a series of hiccups that her whole world would have ended if anything had happened to him. The Sage apologized to her and explained that he hadn't meant to scare her.

Bright blue met pale blue for what seemed like an eternity before it happened. Naruto and Ino shared their first real kiss. It wasn't deep, it wasn't lustful, and it wasn't passion-filled. It was a kiss between two people who cared very deeply for one another, but were not ready to take the next step. It was one of simple love. They had shared kisses since then, but nothing like that night. She kissed him on the cheeks sometimes, while her forehead was his favorite target. Every once in a while, they would give each other a little peck on the lips, but nothing further. It was like they both were waiting for something, but were in no rush for it to happen.

Naruto continued his daydreaming about his blonde roommate until the sounds of fireworks exploding outside brought him back to the here and now. Snapping back to reality and it's grim reminders of the pain he had endured as a child, he glanced at the scroll he had just placed in his outbox when a rather mischievous smile crossed his face.

"**Alright, kit, just what the hell are you planning?**" Kyuubi grumbled, getting very annoyed that Naruto had figured out a way to block more and more of his thoughts from the Fox.

"Heheh, you'll see," Naruto mumbled as he pulled a blank scroll from his desk drawer and began to copy the council scroll almost verbatim, with the exception of establishing the bathhouse for civilian and shinobi use only. He then threw a bone to the council members and assigned the current civilian bathhouse for the sole use of the council after the new one was built. Of course, the current bathhouse was in an area of town that the stuck-ups in the council hated, and had to have it's water heated, having no access to the hot springs. He grinned when he added the provision for the shinobi members of the council, reminding them that the new bathhouse was for shinobi use as well. Naruto was getting good at adding and finding loopholes in the scrolls that crossed his desk.

"**Sneaky, kit! Very sneaky! I am so proud of you!**" the Kitsune gushed as he wagged his tails happily.

"Well, if the civilian members of the council want to treat everyone else as second-class citizens, let's just see how they like it!" Naruto chuckled until the fireworks outside his window dashed his mood once more. Quickly stamping the scroll and placing it in his outbox, he snatched up a report on the current classes at the Academy rather forcefully and began to go over it.

"**Would it help if I said I was sorry?**" the greatest of the bijuu asked, doing something he never dreamed he would have ever done. Apologies from demons were very few and very far between.

"It wasn't your fault," Naruto mumbled as more fireworks went off, followed by cheers and loud music. Today was October tenth, the worst day on the calendar for the Hokage-to-be. The Kyuubi festival was currently in full swing, and most of Konoha had turned out for the celebrations while Naruto one more spent a miserable birthday alone.

The day hadn't started out badly, in his opinion. He awoke in his bed this morning with a gorgeous blonde draped over him, wearing one of his favorite t-shirts…and very little else. Hell, he never knew Ino even owned any thongs, let alone one that looked like a purple eye patch on a very thin string! After reluctantly waking up the snoozing kunoichi, she blushed rather prettily and explained to him that she didn't want him waking up alone on his birthday. After a quick 'thank you' kiss on her forehead, she quickly leapt up and ran for the bathroom before getting dressed for work and making the two of them a nice breakfast of pancakes.

It was about lunchtime when Ino asked Naruto if she could take the rest of the day off to get ready for the evening. He readily agreed, telling her that she could have taken the whole day if she had wanted to, seeing how it was a holiday in Konoha. Of course, it helped that she had shown up with large box of ramen from Ichiraku's. Tsunade and Shizune had already left earlier that morning, leaving the two blondes to deal with all the business in the village. He and Tsunade had already talked this morning, letting her know that he had no problem staying behind in the office, especially this day of all days. Poor Shizune had a tear in her eye knowing her little brother would rather spend his birthday in the office than spend the evening with them, but she understood how he felt and let it go without much debate. The Slug Sannin gave him a big hug before bugging out to the nearest bar, leaving the poor Toad Sage gasping for breath on the floor before Ino picked him up and dumped him into the chair behind his desk.

It was Ino that he had the hardest time with, however. Her pale blue eyes had looked so sad when he declined her invitation to play hooky for the rest of the day as he explained to her that he really had to stay and finish up all of the paperwork and such. Ino nodded, knowing the real reason why he wanted to stay behind, but she respected his wishes and didn't push the issue before she gave him a quick peck on the lips and sped off. Naruto could only laugh when he saw how happy and excited she was to go off and do whatever it was she had wanted to do.

He couldn't blame them, though. It was a holiday in the eyes of the villagers after all, and Ino had told him of all the fun she had as a little girl at the festival. She looked forward to it every year, but after she had discovered what had happened to both the Kyuubi and himself, the festival lost some of it's luster to her. Not all, but some. The Sage just smiled at the thought of how happy the blonde beauty had seemed today. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and began to concentrate on the task at hand when a knock was heard at the door.

"Yeah, come in," he called out as he made a few notes to the Academy list and placed it in the outbox, simultaneously grabbing yet another report from his desk. This one was from the spy network he had inherited from Jiraiya, informing him that everything in Iwa was going exactly as reported by the Tsuchikage.

"Oh Lo-o-o-o-ord Na-a-a-a-a-mika-a-a-a-a-ze," a sing-song called out as a head of pale blonde hair appeared from behind the door. The owner of the head was making sure that none of the rest of her body was showing as she watched the Hokage-to-be continue working on his paperwork.

"Oh, come on, Ino! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" Naruto called out, his nose still buried in the report in his hands. This played into his assistant's hands very nicely.

"More time than I can count," she smirked as she silently stepped into the room, making sure that her heels made not a sound as she sashayed toward his desk.

"Then why do you keep on doing it, Tigger?" the oblivious Sage asked as his roommate stood in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face.

"Because I know it annoys you, Foxy" she giggled as she watched Naruto shake his head in exasperation, a small laugh escaping his lips. "Same reason you call me 'Tigger'!"

"You know why I call you 'Tigger'," Naruto quipped as he continued to look the scroll over, a sly grin plastered on his face, which he kept pointed downward so that the blonde kunoichi before him wouldn't see it and pound him into oblivion.

"I don't bounce," Ino replied firmly, the smirk still playing across her lips, "they are supported quite well, thank you very much!"

"They weren't that…day…oh…wow," the Sage trailed off as he finally looked up and was completely stunned by the vision of absolute beauty that stood before his astounded eyes. The grin on his lips vanished as his jaw dropped in awe of the apparition of loveliness that stood before his desk.

"_Bingo! Target acquired…target helpless…proceeding with capture!_" the mind walker crowed mentally as she dropped her hands and sashayed around Naruto's desk and stood before the object of her desires, who sat there utterly gob-smacked. "Ooo, what's wrong, Foxy? You look like someone stole your ramen!"

"Wow…Ino…you look…wow," he mumbled, having a hell of a time tearing his eyes from his friend. He didn't want to seem like a pervert, and he REALLY didn't want her to pummel him into oblivion, but he couldn't help it. It was like she had been made especially for him, and him alone.

"So, do you like?" she asked rather sexily. Naruto was only able to nod dumbly in response, stunned into utter speechlessness. Ino was pleased with the effect she had on the helpless Sage, having confirmed over the months that they had spent with each other that Naruto was, indeed, a leg man. The glances Naruto cast toward her long and shapely limbs more than confirmed it, as did the soft touches whenever they sat next to each other either at home, at official dinners, or at whatever restaurant they chose to dine at for the evening. The only time he resisted the urges were whenever Kushina was with them, but Ino didn't mind in those cases. Otherwise, he had better notice, or else!

Now, Ino had always been pleased with her looks and her body, not withstanding all the time she had spent dieting when she was younger, but as Naruto's assistant she had to tone down what she wore somewhat. Gone was the purple bare midriff top with matching split miniskirt, and in was some slightly more modest office attire. Kimonos, dresses, and skirt suits were the norm for the office now days, but the sexy kunoichi always made sure that they showed plenty of leg for the blonde of her dreams.

She and Shizune had several discussions about the subject of office attire when she first became Naruto's assistant. The two of them decided that it was all a part of being a kunoichi: keeping people off balance. Folks would see Ino as a very pretty and somewhat sexy secretary, and wouldn't even imagine that she was a kunoichi trained to kill at the drop of a hat. Deception was a key part of being a ninja, after all.

"You…*_ahem_*…you look outstanding, " the Sage finally gasped. Ino blushed a little, which just added to her beauty in his eyes. She knew that Naruto loved her hair, so she wore it down just for him. Her platinum blonde locks now reached down and caressed the bottom of her shapely rear-end. The red dress she wore was designed to be worn either on or off shoulder, which Ino chose the latter, and it flared out at the hips, coming down to about halfway down to her knees. Her ankle strap high heels matched the dress, and the dark tan stockings she wore just screamed for Naruto to pay attention to her legs. Thin gold bracelets hung from her small wrists, while around her neck she wore a necklace the Sage had given her on her last birthday. Naruto had told her that when he saw the thin gold chain with a crystal cosmos pendant that he had immediately thought of her. All in all, the complete package was spectacular. "Lord, you are so beautiful!"

"Well, thank you!" Ino beamed as her blush brightened considerably. She knew that her outfit would blow his socks off, and his lingering glances at her long legs were sending electric thrills up and down her spine. Ino knew that she had him hooked, now she just needed to reel him in. "So-o-o-o-o, how's it going?"

"So far, so good," Naruto replied as he shook his head to try to clear his mind. Ino, however, had other ideas. The mind-walker slinked around the desk, her hips swaying seductively, then took a seat on the corner of his desk. Naruto's eye's bugged out as his roommate crossed her legs, giving the hapless Sage a generous view of her thighs and stocking tops. "I got all of today's legs…SCROLLS…finished a little while ago, so I went ahead and got started on the stockings…STUFF…for tomorrow."

"Semmes you've been a busy little bee today," Ino smirked as Naruto's face glowed a bright red at his flubs. "I think you deserve the rest of the night off, don't you?"

"Ino," he sighed, his eyes growing sad, "You know that I don't like going outside on my birthday. Hell, I don't like my birthday at all…something bad always seems to happen."

"Look at me, Foxy, " Ino said as she reached down and held his face so that the two of them looked into each other's eyes. "Does it look like I got all dolled up just to stay inside on a night like this?"

"Nope. You gotta hot date or something?" Naruto asked half seriously. He was pretty sure Ino knew exactly how he felt about his birthday as well as his severe aversion to being caught outside. He may the strongest shinobi to ever walk the Elemental Nations, but psychological problems just don't vanish overnight. Mental scars had a horrible habit of clinging to one well past the point of reason.

"I will have as soon as a certain Sage quits moping and gets off his butt!" the young Yamanaka replied as she leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips. They both felt a spark, and had to fight the urge to deepen the kiss. "Now, get your cloak on and come on! We have some serious partying to do!"

"But Ino," her fellow blonde whined but stopped abruptly at the look on the kunoichi's face. "_Oh no! Not…not the Puppy-Dog Eye Jutsu! Must…resist…_"

"Please, Naruto? If…if you don't want to go to the festival, can we at least walk home with each other?" she asked sadly, her wide pale-blue eyes working their magic on him as she reached up and began to stroke the whisker marks on his cheeks. "You can do that mean old nasty paperwork tomorrow, can't you?"

"_Aw man, no fair! I swear, if I ever need anyone done away with when I'm Hokage, I'm gonna throw Ino in their direction! I swear, she could talk Orochimaru outta liking little boys!_" Naruto thought as his will and heart both melted before the blonde's onslaught. "Well, I guess we can walk home together…."

"Great! Come on, let's go!" Ino chirped as she hopped off the desk and pulled Naruto to his feet before shoving him toward the door. While the Sage's back was turned when putting on his battle cloak, Ino quickly produced a sticky note from her purse and slapped it on his window.

"Let's just hurry up and get home," he muttered as he held his arm out for Ino to take, said kunoichi never being one to disappoint did so.

"Why would we want to be in such a hurry?" she asked innocently while mentally cheering, "You have the honor of escorting the prettiest kunoichi in Konoha around for the evening, while I get to be seen on the arm of the studdliest guy around…."

* * *

"…and so there was Sakura, standing there completely covered in vomit while the little boy's mother continued to hold him. While it was extremely gross, the look on her face was priceless!" Ino giggled as she snuggled closer to her roommate, enjoying the scent of the forest that always seemed to surround him. The smell of cedar and pine needles was quickly becoming a favorite of hers.

"Yeah, she always had a really bad reaction to that kinda stuff," the Sage replied, chuckling while enjoying the feel of the young woman on his arm. "It always surprised me that she decided to become a medic when she always hated all that icky stuff."

"Well, Lady Tsunade has made sure to give her all the crappy jobs lately, so she's got more than her fair share of 'icky stuff' to deal with right now," Ino added as they drew closer to the home she shared with Naruto. "You'd think she would be used to that kinda stuff now that she has a baby of her own." Ino felt bad when she noticed a slight twitch pass through Naruto's face at the metion of Sakura's child.

"That reminds me," Naruto spoke up, quickly changing the subject before any awkwardness could pass between them, "Did the results of Hinata's check up come back yet?" He and Ino had accompanied Hinata to every check up since her pregnancy was discovered. Naruto always worried about how Ino may feel when it came to his and Hinata's second child, but much to her credit, she was always happy and supportive of Hinata. They had been close the last several years, but now the two kunoichi seemed even closer than sisters. Deep down inside, he knew that Ino thought of the children of her own.

"Everything came back normal," the medic replied, quickly going into professional mode, "The pregnancy is going well, except for Hinata's continuing morning sickness. You know, I would have never thought she would threaten to cut your balls off for knocking her up again."

"Yeah…well…she was having a really bad day," Naruto mumbled, thankful that the Hyuga lady hadn't carried out her threat. "She ran out of those special herbs yesterday, so she was really sick to her stomach. I felt really bad when she began to cry about her threat."

"You know, that is something so very special about you," Ino said as she stopped in front of the front door and turned to hug the Sage, enjoying the slight blush on his face, "You can take someone that wants to hurt you and figure out a way to not just forgive them, but to help them as well. Do you have any idea how many friends and allies you've made because of that?"

"Well, it's mostly my fault anyway," he apologized as he buried his nose into her hair. The scent of wildflowers was intoxicating and stirred something deep in his heart. The brief, unwanted thought of how he would feel if Ino ever left his life flitted through his mind and tore at his heart, leaving that same unwelcome ache that he had fought so hard over the last several months to overcome. Something had happened to Naruto that he thought would never happen again. Everything about the young mind-walker endeared her to him more and more each and every day. Her smile, her laugh, the twinkle in her eyes, even the angry scrowl she used on him whenever he did anything idiotic, they all worked their magic on him and wove a tight and unbreakable spell around the helpless Sage. "Hey, Ino…I was wanting to talk to you about something…"

"Hang on, let's get inside first and grab some hot chocolate," Ino replied as she opened the door to the darkened house. Knowing instantly that something was wrong, Naruto looked around, puzzled. He normally left a light on inside the house for security purposes. It was silly, he knew, especially after all the security seals he had placed on his house, but it was something left over from his days when he was a lone orphan who used to go home by himself everyday. Suddenly, he registered multiple chakra signatures as he began to form a Rasengan in his free hand, getting ready to throw Ino behind him whenever the attack came.

"SURPRISE!!!," a room full of people called out as the Rasengan in his hand dispersed. Ino laughed and hugged him as he stood there, shocked beyond belief as his eyes began to scan the room. Asll his friends and family were currently standing in nhis living and dining rooms, which also held a table full of all sorts of food, especially a large cake. But the one thing that really caught his eyes was the huge banner hanging in his living room, one that read 'Happy Birthday!'.

"Wha-wha-wha-what's this?" the Sage stammered, completely thrown offtrack by the utter surprise of it all.

"It's called a 'birthday party', Naruto," a voice called out in a familiar monotone. Naruto's head snapped around and saw the Kazekage of Suna anf his wife walking toward him.

"Gaara! Matsuri! When did you two get into town? " the blonde jinchuuriki called out as he and Gaara shook hands. "I told those guys at the gate to let me know anytime you showed up!"

"That would be my fault, brat," Tsunade called out from a nearby sofa, a half empty sake bottle in her hand. "They reported it, just not to you."

"Uh…so who's birthday are we celebrating today?" Naruto asked rather dumbly, looking over to Ino in confusion. It wasn't a surprise to the young Yamanaka, however. Naruto had never had a positive experience in his birthday, even in all the years he and Sakura were together. His confusion was understandable. "We probably need to set it back up for whoever it's for."

"It's yours, Daddy!" Kushina cried out as she came barreling out of the kitchen and launched herself at her father, who quickly caught her up in a big hug. After Kushina's stay in the hospital, the news that Naruto was her father had spread like wildfire, despite everything Tsunade did to try to stop the spread. After that, the villagers figured out that the Toad Sage was the father of Hinata's second child as well. Now, there was running bet as to whether Naruto was going to ask for Hinata's hand in marriage. The Hyuga council had no say in the matter, whatsoever, especially after he, Hinata, and Neji cleared out the rest of the old regime and replaced them with young Hyuga, all from a newly united clan. The Caged Bird Seal was no more.

"M-m-m-m-mine?" he asked of the blonde bombshell that stood at his side. Ino nodded and was startled to see tears well up in his eyes. "I've…I've never had a birthday party before."

"I know, baby," Ino whispered to him while Kushina gave him a big kiss on his cheek, holding on tightly as he was dragged to a chair and plopped down into it. Kushina was left in his lap to keep the Toad Sage from escaping. "You just sit here while we get things started."

"You never had a birthday party before, Daddy?" his daughter asked somewhat sadly, until Naruto began to use his dreaded Kootchie-Kootchie no Jutsu on her. Kushina began to laugh loudly, her light blue eyes sparkling like twin stars on a clear summer night.

"No, hon, I've never had one before," he finally answered after his daughter's laughing fit subsided. Glancing over at the blonde goddess he had just walked in with, he felt that strange swelling in his chest once more. "But if your Aunt Ino had her way, I don't think that I'm going to miss another one…."

* * *

The night had been a spectacular success, thus far. Naruto had managed to worm enough information out of his guests to discover that Hinata and Ino had all this planned out from the start. It hadn't been hard to wrangle their friends together and away from the Kyuubi Festival, seeing how they would rather spend time with him than celebrate something that caused their friend so much pain growing up. Tsunade made sure to smuggle Gaara and his wife into town, as well as Princess Yuki from Spring Country, while the two conniving kunoichi set everything else up. The Ichirakus and the Akimichis were catering the event, although Choji's wife had to smash him in the head to keep him from devouring the birthday cake before anyone got a piece of it. Kushina and little Ruto sat quietly in a corner playing with the blunted practice weapon set Naruto had given his daughter as a get-well gift after she had gotten out of the hospital.

"Man, if I had known that's all it takes to keep them calm, I would have bought a set for Ruto a long time ago," Iruka remarked, amazed at how quiet his son was being. Ayame smiled and gave her husband a big hug.

"I'll make sure that he puts that on his Christmas list," Naruto said with a smile before her turned around and saw a very pregnant Tenten Hyuga sitting on the sofa with her feet propped up on a coffee table and looking very sad indeed.

"Hey, Tenten…what's wrong?" the worried Sage asked. He knew that some women had a very rough time with their pregnancy, but seeing his friend look so sad tore at his heart.

"I…I'm okay, Naruto," she sniffed, a lone tear escaping her eye. Naruto quirked an eyebrow, letting her know that he didn't by that for one blessed minute. "It's just…I'm so tired, and I still have a month to go before the baby is born…I can't train, and worst of all…*sniff*…my feet hurt!"

"Ah, gotcha!" the blonde Sage wink as he sat on the coffee table and placed Tenten's feet up in his lap, much to her embarrassment…as shown by her rather red cheeks. Naruto quickly stripped her socks from her swollen feet.

"Ah! Naruto! What the hell are you…ooooooooooo," the pregnant kunoichi cooed as the Master of the House began to expertly massage her feet. For the first time in several months, Tenten's feet didn't feel like rusty iron spikes were being driven into them. "Oh lord, don't stop! Where…where did you learn to do this?"

"This? It's just something I picked up back when I traveled with Pervy Sage," the Kitsune container smiled as he ran his thumbs through the arch of one of her feet. Tenten melted into the sofa as Naruto's fingers continued to work their magic. "I used to do this for Hinata and…my ex-wife…when they were pregnant. Footswelling is a common occurrence during pregnancy, and a good foot rub helps! Doesn't Neji do this for you?"

"No," she sighed as she relaxed more than she had in months. The feeling was positively orgasmic for the miserable kunoichi. "He may be a genius in battle, but he's useless at this kinda thing." Naruto frowned and began to scan the room for the Hyuga genius.

"Hey, Neji! Get your butt over here right now before I assign you the next ten missions to catch Tora with Team Thirteen!" barked Naruto, catching Neji's attention. Finally noticing what was going on, the Byakugan Master stormed over toward their position.

"Namikaze, just what the hell are you doing with my wife?!" Neji demanded as he continued to watch Naruto rubbing Tenten's feet.

"Shut up, sit down, and grab a foot," Naruto ordered as he reached up and pulled Neji down to the table. "You've been neglecting your wife! Her feet are hurting her really bad and you haven't been here to take care of her. Now, watch me and do what I do."

"What? Really?" Neji asked, looking up into her wide-open eyes as she nodded, her lower lip trembling. He had the good grace to look ashamed as he began to emulate the knowledgable Sage. "I'm sorry, Tenten, I didn't mean to…how does this feel?"

"Wo-o-o-o-onderful," she sighed as Hinata walked over to the couch and sat next to her cousin's wife.

"I'm next!" Hinata chirped as she placed her feet on the table as well. "I have so missed your foot rubs!"

"Okay, okay! Here, Neji, take over while I work on your cousin," Naruto commented as he slid over and placed Hinata's feet in his lap before calling out, "Yo, Gaara! Shikamaru! You two need to come over and learn this, too."

"What?" Matsuri asked as her husband's eyes bugged out. Of all the people in the room, Gaara probably knew more of Naruto's abilities than any other, but the Sage's pronouncement threw even the Kazekage for a loop. Shikamaru, being as quick on the ball as he always was, quickly caught on.

"Why?" Temari asked as she noticed how pale her husband had become.

"Troublesome," the Nara muttered, "way too troublesome…."

* * *

"…and I can't believe that you tricked Gaara and Shikamaru into thinking that their wives were pregnant!" Ino laughed musically as she and Naruto walked across the top of the Hokage monument, stopping off at the area just above the carven head of Naruto's father.

"Sure, keep on laughing," Naruto said as he watched how the moonlight caused Ino's hair to glow with an unearthly beauty. "I didn't trick them into anything! They just assumed that because I told them that they needed to learn how to rub rheir feet. After all, Matsuri and Temari are going to want children someday soon."

"They were not very happy with you," Ino added, remembering the scene in the backyard earlier in the evening. Both irate men chased Naruto out of the house before Shikamaru captured him with his shadow while Gaara surrounded him with a rather large amount of angry-sounding sand.

"No, they weren't," the Sage muttered as he walked up behind Ino and wrapped her up in a hug. He enjoyed feeling her melt back inot him. "I still have sand in my boxers!"

"Eww," the young mind-walker giggled as she enjoyed the feeling of his aerms wrapped around her. "Guess somebody's taking a shower tonight."

"Sounds like a plan," he replied as he nuzzled her hair. The wildflower scent was driving him insane once more, but he fought a mighty battle to control his urges. "So, have I thanked you for setting all this up for me tonight?"

"Mmm, yes you have," Ino purred as she reached back and stroked the side of his face, " but you can again if you want to."

"Thank you," he murmured, enjoying the moment. The food had been great, his friends and family had a good time, he got a lot of really cool gifts, and for the very first time in his life, he actually enjoyed his birthday. And now, he was holding a woman who was very dear to him and enjoying the evening.

"You're very welcome," Ino replied as she thrilled at Naruto's touch. The two of them had grown so close since his suicide attempt, and the last few months had been some of the best in the young kunoichi life. "Wow, it is so perfect out here tonight…I wish it would never end!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Naruto agreed, completely ignoring the view of the sprawling village that they had been enjoying. The fireworks had stopped several hours ago, and most of the vendors had packed up and headed for home, leaving the evening for the young couples that were strolling up and down the streets. The paper lanterns and banners that still hung across the town gave the village a look of ethereal beauty, but it was nothing compared to the beauty that he currently held in his arms. "You know, there was something I wanted to talk to you about earlier…before I was ambushed by you and your little helpers."

"Sure, what about?" the Yamanaka heir asked as she turned in Naruto's arms and looked up into his bright blue eyes. She noticed that something seemed to be hidden behind the windows of his soul, but she couldn't identify what it was, and this made most curious indeed!

"Well…it's kinda hard to explain…I'm no good with words. I am an idiot, after all…Oww!" Naruto yelped as Ino slugged his arm. She always did that whenever he put himself down, and it was always followed by the same glare that she was currently sending his way. "Well, anyway…you see…you've always been there for me, especially since Sakura…well, you know…"

"I'll always be here for you, Foxy!" she added with a very pretty smile, one that made Naruto want to melt on the spot. God, he loved to see her smile!

"I know, Tigger, I know," he answered as he caressed her cheek and hoped beyond hope that she'd still be there for him after he said what needed to be siad. "You've been there by my side and helped me so much. You've become the best friend that I've ever had, so I thought I'de let you be the first to know…I think that I found someone…"

"Oh?" Ino asked in shock, her body stiffening slightly, "You found somebody for…what?"

"I think I found someone I want to be with…and I wanted to talk to you about it first. I value your opinions, Ino, and I wanted to see what you think about it," Naruto explained, and then noticed a small change in her behavior. This was what he was afraid of, for he just knew he was about to screw everything up.

"Well, I'm sure whomever she is, she'll make you very happy," Ino said as a cold feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. She was afraid she knew where this was going, and she began to feel his apprehensions through their seals. "So…what can you tell me about her?"

"Lord…where do I start? She's gorgeous, she's smart, feisty, strong….you know, everything that I'm not," he answered., making Ino feel a bit angry and jealous.

"_Bullshit! You're all that and more, Naruto!_" she thought angrily, but she did her best to remain calm as the man who held her heart in his mighty grip continued on.

"She's got these really beautiful eyes, and a smile that can melt ANBU in their tracks! Plus, she's gotta body that just won't quit," he added, which made Ino suspicious of whom he was talking about. "She's flirtatious, and sexy as hell, but mysterious at the same time. She's helped me out so much since my breakup with Sakura, she's sacrificed her own time, energy, and happiness just to help me out…to heal me. I've royally screwed up her life, but she doesn't blame me one little bit. She just smiles and keeps coming back…despite all my bullshit," Naruto shook his head in wonder while Ino felt her life just drain away.

"_Beautiful eyes? Sacrificed her happiness? Screwed up her life? Who could he…Oh God! He means Hinata! He's chosen Hinata! Oh god, I've lost him!_" Ino felt her heart beginning to break as tears began to well up in her eyes. Quickly turning to face the village so that Naruto couldn't see her anguish, she crossed her arms to hold herself as she called out to him. "She sounds really sweet."

"I think that she's perfect, but there's just one problem," the Sage continued as he began to feel her distress. "_Great! Good job, Dumbass! I just knew I was going to fuck this up! I'm such an idiot!_"

"What…what kind of problem?" the blonde mind-walker asked, biting her lower lip to keep from sobbing.

"She's one of my best friends, and we've grown so close lately that I'm afraid to tell her how I feel," he added softly, his eyes downturned as a soft autumn breeze stirred his long locks. "I'm scared that she won't feel the same way, and that I'm about to really screw things up! I care for her so much that I'm afraid that I'll drive her away! I haven't felt this way in what feels like such a long time, and it's scary as hell. The very though of her not being in my life makes my heart hurt so much that it's kinda hard to describe. I swear, I'd rather take another chidori to the chest than to feel like that again!"

"_He's really worried about this_," Ino thought sadly, angry with herself for feeling so selfish. The man she cared so much for was torn up and needed her help. Swallowing her pride, she turned around and saw how down he appeared. "Naruto, if she's as wonderful as you made her out to be, I'm sure that she'll care for you as much as you care for her. And if she doesn't…I'm sure you two can still be friends, at least. She'd be an idiot to throw away your friendship if she doesn't feel the same as you! You're really such a sweet guy, I couldn't see her not going for you."

"I'm scared, Ino…I'm really, really scared," the Sage admitted, startling the young kunoichi. "I mean…I don't know what to do! Everytime I've tried to make the first move…the first gesture...hell, even the first word, I usually end up getting my head pummeled! Sakura always knew how I felt about her, but nothing ever happened until she made the first move. Hinata told me she loved me before I ever knew how she felt about me! How…how do I do it, Ino?" He glanced up and caught her eye for a second before they both turned away.

"Why don't you…just go up to her, take her in your arms and just…tell her how you feel? Let her know what's in your heart and…I'll bet she'll respond in knid," Ino replied before turing her back to him one again and looking over the village. "_God, I wish it was me._"

"Do you really think that would work?" he asked, sounding rather subdued. The worry in his voice made her want to wrap her arms around him and whisper that everything would be alright.

"It would with me," she whispered softly, doing her best to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes and down her cheek. Time stopped for her as the perfect evening had suddenly taken on an aura of gloom and despair. She had just lost the man she loved, and the world was so much dimmer for it. An eternity later, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and felt warm breath on her neck, causing her to shiver with desire.

"I love you, Ino," the Sage whispered in her ear, sending a jolt of electricity down her spine and drawing out a gasp from the blonde when his words finally registered in her brain.

"Wha…what?!" she squeaked as she gripped his arms tightly, praying to every deity known to Man that this wasn't some sort of cruel dream. "What did you say?"

"I…love…you…Ino," he repeated, lightly kissing her exposed neck between each word, causing her to melt into a pile of goo. "I've wanted to tell you for a while now…but I've been worried that you'd leave me."

"I'd never leave you, Naruto," she beamed as she spun in his arms, tears of joy spilling down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep, very passionate kiss. Ino poured all her emotions into the kiss, to which the Sage responded with equal intensity. After several seconds, she broke the kiss to catch her breath. "What took you so long? I l-l-l-love you too, silly!"

"Well, I've kinda been burned before," Naruto replied shyly as Ino hugged him even tighter.

"I know, baby…me too," she whispered, happy to know that she had bagged her man. Naruto was someone who loved her for who she was, not for how she looked, or if he could land her in bed. "You had me worried! I thought you had picked Hinata."

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as they began to kiss once more, enjoying a lip dance under the stars and on top of the world. It took several more minutes before they broke apart once more. "So, Miss Yamanaka, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"You silly, silly Sage," Ino giggled at the look on his face, his eyes closed and his hand rubbing the back of his head. "I think that I've been your girlfriend for months now, it's just that neither one of us knew it! But to answer your question: yes, I'll be your girlfriend!"

"That, dear lady, is the best present I got all day!" Naruto smiled as he took Ino's hand and lead her back home…..

End of Chapter 19

* * *

_**A/N**: I'm sorry it took so long for me to update this story, but I had a number of things come up in the last few months. First off, my computer crashed on me. Then, my back up computer crashed on me! That really sucked! Then, the holidays took up much of my time, but the worst thing I fought was burnout. I hate when I get burnout, I just can't seemed to get motivated. It's one of the reason that I haven't updated two of my other stories in such a long time, but I really plan on working on them soon. I hope you folks enjoy!- Lord Talon _


	20. Chapter 20

To Live is So Much Harder….

Chapter 20

Ino Yamanaka hummed a happy little tune as she busied herself about the house that she shared with her boyfriend, making sure to get everything just right for the next night's Christmas party…as well as the activities she had planned for the current evening. After making sure that all the decorations were perfect and that all the bows and ribbons were hanging just right, the young blonde snatched up a basket of flower petals that she had picked especially for the night's festivities while she began to sashay through the house, lighting the special candles she had set out for the night.

Once everything was ready, the blonde kunoichi walked to their bedroom and pulled her special clothes from her dresser, setting them on the bed before retiring to bathroom for a long, hot, relaxing bath. Her young heart was hammering wildly as she stripped down to her birthday suit and sank into the tub filled with streaming water. A content sigh escaped her lips as her mind reflected on how much her life had changed since she and her love had finally gotten the courage to admit their feeling for one another.

It had been just a little over two months since she and Naruto had become an official couple, and both loud blondes were as happy as could be…for the most part. The night of the Toad Sage's birthday they went ahead and moved all of Ino's stuff into Naruto's room. Ino giggled when he explained, with a bit of a blush on his cheeks, that it only made sense since she slept in bed with him most nights already…and that most of her clothes were already in there to begin with. The mind-walker couldn't fault his logic, and a little after two A.M. the blonde pair drifted off to sleep after quite a bit of kissing and cuddling. The next morning when they showed up late to the office, Tsunade and Shizune noticed them walking in holding hands and immediately dragged the pair into the Hokage's private conference room and expertly interrogated them concerning their relationship. With tears in her eyes, Tsunade gave them her approval before giving them the rest of the day off. Naruto, much to his credit, asked her if she was sure about that, not wanting to look like he was slacking off on the job. Tsunade laughed her ass off as Ino grabbed the hapless Sage by the collar and dragged him out of the Hokage's office in a cloud of dust. Tsunade knew that Ino was the perfect woman for her adopted son.

Ino was thrilled with Naruto as a boyfriend. He never had a cruel word for her, unlike other guys in her past, and he doted on her hand and foot. He also showed up with little gifts for her all the time, despite her protests that they were not necessary. Naruto would just grin while giving her a flower here, some candy there, or the occasional card left for her on the kitchen table just to let her know that he was thinking of her even when they couldn't be with one another. The lovesick Sage even gave her several ankle bracelets, which even Ino had to admit that she loved how they looked on her. The young mind-walker knew that he wasn't trying to buy her love, he did it just to show her that he was always thinking of and about her.

One of the best things about Naruto was that one her bad days he would always make her laugh, just to make her feel better. If Mother Nature was being a real bitch, Naruto would back off and do his best to not irritate her, but if she needed anything he'd jump up and get it for her in a heartbeat. All in all, Ino couldn't think of anything better.

The hot bath worked it's magic on the blonde beauty as it helped to relax her body and calm her nerves. Tonight was going to be the big night, and come Hell or high water, she would see it through! Glancing at the clock, Ino realized that the man of her dreams would be making his way home in about an hour, so she sadly said good-bye to the hot water and dried off before heading back to the bedroom.

"Yes…he'll really love this," she giggled as she looked at herself in the mirror. The two of them had talked about a great many things since they had officially became a couple, and after carefully gathering the necessary intel, she rounded up the materials needed to accomplish her mission. Ino blushed at the thought of Naruto's reaction.

One thing that Ino loved about the Namikaze lord was the fact that he listened to her. Not just that, he valued her opinion on everything, both in their private and professional lives. Naruto had discovered that two heads were better than one, and ever since she had helped him flesh out the treaty with Iwa he would ask her for her opinion on every important piece of legislation that would cross his desk. The Toad Sage gladly accepted her views on all but two things: Ramen and Orange. Those were the only two subjects he would always put his foot down on, but Ino figured that she could live with that. After all, him totally giving up ramen and orange would be like her giving up on purple…totally unthinkable!

After a quick little snack of fruit, Ino ran through the house, so very carefully so as to not slip and fall, and scattered the flower petals she had diligently gathered down the hallway leading toward their bedroom. Lighting the candles around the room, Ino quickly shut off the lights and crawled onto the bed. Her young heart was beginning to race once more.

The only problem Ino saw in their relationship was with herself, or rather, her problem…her fear…her scars. She feared being…intimate…with Naruto. The blonde bombshell knew that he would never hurt her like Hiro did, but something deep down still filled her heart with dread. She didn't want to be used and then thrown away, and despite the fact she was now with an very wonderful man, she was still…scared.

Naruto never pressed the issue much to her relief, bless his heart! The furthest they had gotten was some serious making out and heavy-duty petting. He made her feel so much better than anyone had before…especially that rat-bastard Hiro!. Naruto could see the hurt and anxiety in her eyes as he would wrap her up in a warm hug and explain to her that sex wasn't the most important part of a relationship. Deep in her heart, Ino understood this, but she still felt bad about her fears.

Ino smiled as she thought about every time they were together, they got a little closer to the ultimate payoff. The Sage patiently allowed Ino to lead the way, letting her set the pace and the limits. It originally started off with light little touches here and there as he would respond to everything she did by doing the same to her, showing the blonde mind-walker how good a loving touch could feel. She was soon very happy to discover that Naruto loved to worship her body, and Lord, did he know how to worship properly! After all, he was the latest author of the _Icha-Icha _series, so he had to have some talent!

Finally, two nights ago, Ino made a major breakthrough that set her upon the course she was taking this night_….. She and her man were laying together, Naruto snuggled up behind her as she enjoyed the feel of his roaming hands and the warmth coming from his bare skin. Soon, however, Naruto sat up against the headboard and pulled the blonde kunoichi into his lap, wrapped his arms around her and nibbled on her neck, much to her delight. Ino's eyes widened suddenly as she felt his member graze the outer edges of her womanhood, but bit her lower lip as waves of pleasure at the touch coursed through her young body. Slowly, while still nibbling on her neck, Naruto's hand slid down her toned stomach until he reached her silky smooth pelvic area. Ino was in such a state of utter bliss that she failed to become nervous as he targeted her core._

_ "May I touch you, Sunshine?" he whispered huskily in her ear, sending tingles down her spine. Ino smiled as she heard the name he had given her slide so smoothly off his tongue. She had asked him about the name several weeks earlier, and he explained to her that it was because she was the one that had pulled him out of the darkness that had consumed him. It was her light that had saved him, so to him, she was the Sun._

_ "Yes, please, my beautiful Angel," Ino sighed as she placed her hand upon his and slid it down until he caressed her Celestial Gate. The young kunoichi gasped as the Sage slipped a finger past her well-lubricated lips and began to rub the little button of nerves that presented itself to his touch._

_ She could feel the warmth of his blush as it lit up his face, and she smiled inwardly knowing that it wasn't just from the intimacy that they were currently sharing…it was because of what she had called him. When she first call him her 'Angel', it really threw him for a loop. For a split second, he thought she was making fun of him because of the demon he held in place. She reassured him that wasn't the case, it was because angels were thought to be beings of pure love, and she knew of nobody alive that seemed to be made of pure love more than he. His blush was priceless!_

_ "Does that feel good, my sweet lady?" Naruto asked softly as he felt her body stiffen while she drew in short, sharp breaths._

_ "Oh God! Oh yes, Baby! That feels so-o-o-o-o-o…." Ino's breath caught in her throat as Naruto's talented fingers finally drove her over the edge. A scream ripped out of the blonde's throat as her orgasm tore through her young body. Her lover smiled gently as he held her close while wave after wave of pleasure coursed through Ino, who finally collapsed in his loving embrace. Her eyelids fluttered while a satisfied smile caressed her lips._

_ "So…did that feel good?" the Sage asked, a smirk on his lips as he watched his blonde goddess gasp for breath, her body glistening with sweat while her C-cups heaved._

_ "Yes, it did, " Ino relied sweetly as she reached up and caressed his cheeks. "Thank you for your love…and your patience." _

_ "You're welcome, Sunshine," he replied, using the nickname he came up with for her and her alone. She felt so good that he had given her a special name, just as he had Hinata and his ex-wife. Ino basked in the afterglow of her orgasm while enjoying the warm feel of Naruto as he continued to hold and caress her, sprinkling kisses down her neck. " I just want to show you that making love is about that: love. It's about sharing and giving, not about using your partner and just getting your rocks off."_

_ "Soon, baby, soon," she promised, knowing full well that he would never pressure her, and that he would wait forever if he needed to. Ino reached up and pulled her Sage down into a deep kiss, but as before, the tip of his member brushed the edges of her sex once again. Her eyes rolled back as pleasure mixed with anxiety shook her beautiful form. Curling up into a ball in his lap, she fell asleep in the arms of the man she loved…_

A small smile formed on Ino's lips as the memory of that night flooded her consciousness. Feeling her cheeks heat up just a bit, as well as other areas of her body, she began to fan her face with her hands as she took deep relaxing breaths to settle herself down. It did little to help, however, as her imagination began to run wild at how it would feel to actually become one with Naruto. If the feeling she got just by his touch was any indication, she was going to be in for a wild ride, figuratively speaking, that is! However, the thought of the touch of his hand led to the memory of the touch of his manhood to her sex, which led in turn to her face growing ever hotter. Ino quickly leapt from the bed and ran toward the kitchen to grab a cold drink of water, not even looking at the clock in their room to see what time it was…..

* * *

"Damn, that old woman can hit hard," Naruto muttered as he shuffled down the sidewalk toward his home, rubbing the side of his head where Tsunade had left a rather nasty lump prior to him leaving for the day. The day had gone really well for the most part, at least until Ino left for the day to start getting the house ready for their Christmas party. Naruto felt that ache in his chest as he watched his lady put her coat on and walk out the door, waving to him before disappearing out into the hallway. The look on his face must have been hilarious if the giggles he heard form Tsunade and Shizune were any indication. When he asked them about it, they just continued to laugh and told him that 'he had it bad'. Naruto just looked at the two of them in a rather confused manner and shook his head before starting in on the ungodly amount of paperwork Tsunade had managed to pawn off on him.

Unfortunately for our stalwart hero, Tsunade was in a teasing mood for the remainder of the day. The sole surviving Senju continued to waltz into Naruto's office throughout the day and kept asking him about his relationship with Ino, delighting in watching the legendary prankster of Konoha getting flustered and blushing furiously, much to her and Shizune's amusement. Tsunade knew that he and Ino's relationship was edging closer and closer to the point of no return, and she couldn't be happier for the two of them…but that didn't mean she wasn't above getting in some serious teasing time!

It finally came to a head as Naruto began to slip his battle-cloak on so he could head on home. Tsunade was leaning against the doorway with a smug look on her face, happy that she had been able to harass Naruto for the better part of the day. The blonde Sage knew he was in trouble when he saw the twinkling of her eyes as he drew closer toward the door. It was at that time that the Hokage played her trump card and asked if he and Ino had finally made love. She and Shizune began to laugh their heads off as they watched Naruto come to a complete halt and spit and sputter, his face turning a color very reminiscent of a young Hinata Hyuga whenever she was around a Naruto of the same age.

Things would have been alright if Naruto merely swallowed his pride and left with his head held high, but he being the hardheaded and rash individual he was most of his life couldn't just leave it at that. No, he just had to open his mouth and bark back at the Hokage in an effort to get in the last word. It was one of the biggest mistakes he had EVER made, especially after feeling the result. Naruto chuckled a bit though at the memory of Tsunade's face when he told her that she was turning into a bigger pervert than Jiraiya had ever been. The vein pulsating on the Hokage's forehead was the last thing he saw before Tsunade's fist met the side of his head and sent him flying out the window of his office. It was one hell of a punch, too, seeing how he landed at the halfway point between the Hokage Tower and his home. Naruto shook his head as he continued dusting himself off. One of these days, his mouth was going to get him into so much trouble.

Looking at his watch, he realized that Tsunade's punch had shaved a good fifteen minutes off his travel time home…if it wasn't so painful, he wouldn't mind using Air Tsunade to get home every day. He wondered what his girlfriend would think of him landing in a heap on their doorstep at the end of each day, but knowing her, she'd kick his butt for coming home early and for irritating the Hokage. Realizing that he'd be screwed either way, Naruto put all it all out of his mind as he walked through his front gates and toward the door of his house. A smile crept over his face as he thought about seeing Ino once more, maybe he could sweet talk her into going out for some ramen with him later on that night…

* * *

Ino leaned back against the kitchen counter, a half-full glass of wine in her hand. After she had gotten to the kitchen, she had decided to drink something that hopefully would calm her nerves a bit. Despite the fact she wanted to be with Naruto, her emotional scars continued to flare up, causing her to shiver as her heart continued to pound within her chest. Taking several deep breaths, she finally calmed down somewhat as she set the glass down upon the counter. Looking up at the kitchen clock and realizing that Naruto would be home within the next fifteen minutes or so, Ino quickly downed the rest of the wine and turned to head back to the bedroom when she heard the front door open. Ino stopped dead in her tracks.

"_Oh God, what's he doing home early?_" she wondered, her eyes widening as she tried to slip out of the kitchen before he could find her.

"Hey, Ino, I'm home!" Naruto called out as he hung his cloak up by the front door before heading into the living room. "Have you eaten yet? I was wondering if we could…get…some… oh wow!"

"Oh! Naruto! Um…hi," Ino stammered as she stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her eyes as wide as Naruto's as the two blondes stared at one another. A blush quickly lit up her beautiful face when she realized that Naruto was sporting a quickly growing bulge in his normally loose pants.

"Um…hi ," the Sage managed to stammer out when his mind finally clicked into gear. Standing before him was a vision right out of his most erotic dreams. His gorgeous girlfriend stood in the doorway of the kitchen, wearing a very thin, transparent black robe, a very short silky black teddy, and black stockings. Her hair was down and covered her shoulders and cascaded down her back like pale cloak, while the blush on her cheeks caused her face to shine like the sun. "You look…um…I mean…wow!"

"So, I take it that you approve," she asked teasingly and giggled at the vigorous nod she got from him, his jaw still open from surprise. Smiling shyly, she began to walk toward her boyfriend with a very noticeable wiggle in her hips. "You really ought to close your mouth, you're getting drool all over your shirt!"

"So, Sunshine," Naruto asked as he shook himself from his shock and wrapped his arms around the blonde bombshell in front of him, "What brought all this on? I know we talked about some of our fantasies, but I never expected to see a living one standing before me in the kitchen." Ino blushed when he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Well, my original plan was for you to come home and follow the trail of candles and flower petals to our bedroom," Ino replied shyly, her eyes downcast as a pout graced her lips. She reached around her boyfriend and pulled him into a hug, "But I got thirsty and had to get a drink, then you came home early…."

"Well…Grandma sent me home a bit early today," he told her as he returned the hug, burying his nose into her hair and inhaling the scent of wildflowers. "I'm sorry if I ruined anything, hon."

"Huh? No…you didn't ruin anything," Ino added as she placed her head to his chest and listened to the strong, steady beat of her lover's heart. Her own heart was beating wildly out of control as the thought of what she was going to do this night. "It's just…I really wanted to surprise you…I wanted tonight to be special…"

"You surprised me, that's for sure," Naruto grinned as he rubbed her back, enjoying the feel of the young woman in his arms. He heard her chuckle into his chest as he continued, "After all, how many times does a guy get to see a goddess when he gets home at the end of the day….and how many times is she dressed to thrill?"

"I really do love you, you silly knucklehead," she murmured as the blood rushed to her cheeks. Ino realized that Naruto had just called her a goddess, and not just for how she dressed.

"I get to see my goddess everyday," the Sage whispered softly as he pulled back some, placed a finger under her chin and gently raised her head until he could look deep into her pale blue eyes, "And every night I get to spend with you is special!" His smile caused Ino to melt into his arms as the butterflies in her stomach decided to hold a rave.

"You're really so sweet," the blonde kunoichi replied, looking up into his bright blue orbs as a small tear slid down her cheek. "It's just that tonight is the night I wanted to…um…well…" Naruto looked at her, concern clearly evident in in his eyes before the light bulb went off in his head. Taking Ino's hand, he lead her into the living room before sitting on the sofa and pulling her into his lap. Ino gasped as she felt the bulge in his pants rub up against her most private area.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, Sunshine," Naruto said gently as he held the trembling blonde close. " I understand how difficult it is for you…it took me a long time to finally admit to myself how I felt about you after what had happened to me…let alone tell you how I actually felt. I didn't want to get hurt again, just like you don't. I promise on my life that I would never purposely hurt you, or force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"I…I know, Angel," Ino sniffed as the tears began to flow. "I…I know you would never hurt me! I really want to do this! I want us to be one…I want us to make love to each other, that's why I planned all this. I…I'm just a little nervous, that's all. I'm not forcing myself, I just want…I want you to heal me!"

"Like you healed me," Naruto said as he rubbed her back some more, feeling the muscles relax as the stress began to leave her young body. Ino looked at him with wide eyes at his admission. "Yes, my beautiful Sunshine, you healed me! You put the pieces of my mind and my heart back together and loved me despite all the baggage you knew I was carrying. Without you, my sweet goddess, I couldn't go on…I'd be lost…there would be no coming back."

"That's how I feel about you, too," the mind-walker admitted, " You began to heal me even before all this mess started…back when we were just friends…back when I thought life wasn't worth living. But you showed me that there were people who cared for me for who I am and didn't want to use me just for my body. You did so much for me…just as much as you say I did for you. But tonight…I want to be with you…I need to be with you…I need your healing touch…I need your love…"

"If my goddess wishes it," Naruto replied as she spun around in his lap and straddled his legs before locking lips with him, sharing in a deep, passion-filled kiss for several seconds. "So shall it be done!"

"You are so corny…you know that? _Yipe_!" Ino yelped as Naruto suddenly stood straight up and began to carry her toward their bedroom bridal style. The look on his face was filled with warmth and love, earning him a blush and a beautiful smile from the blonde in his arms.

"Yeah…but you love that about me," he grinned as stepped into the room, closed the door with a foot, and then carefully set Ino down upon their bed.

"True…very true…mmmmmmmm," Ino purred as Naruto captured her lips once more and gently guided her to lay back as he held himself above her. The two blondes continued to kiss like that for many more minutes before the Sage broke off the kiss and pulled the Yamanaka heir back to her feet. He grinned at the look of her swollen lips and the dazed expression on her beautiful face. Her sparkling eyes finally refocused on his mirthful ones and blushed once more. Ino would never understand how the man of her dreams could make her blush just by looking at her. She always felt a surge of heat whenever Naruto looked her way which translated into the reddening of her cheeks…as well as other areas. Areas that would finally be sated this night.

"You okay, Sunshine?" he asked earnestly, worry showing clearly in his eyes. His care for her still awed her at times…she never knew any guy could ever care for someone that much.

"Just fine, Angel, I'm just thinking that you are wearing way too many clothes," she smirked as the nervousness began to clear up and her old spark began to come into play again. Naruto's heart lifted as the playful tone came back to Ino's voice, this was the Ino that he loved…the strong, self-assured kunoichi that knew what she wanted and was bound and determined to get it. And right now, she was working hard to get it as she reached up and stripped his battle-cloak off and began to work on his jacket and shirt. Within a matter of seconds, his chiseled chest was exposed much to her delight.

Naruto wasn't one to be outdone, however, as he reached over and carefully removed the thin robe from her shoulders, lightly stroking the skin of her arms as he did so, drawing a contented sigh from Ino's sultry lips. The Sage drew the kunoichi close, wrapping his arms around her waist as he lowered his head and began to nibble on her neck. Naruto knew from experience that Ino would turn into putty in his hands with that action, and he was not disappointed as the young beauty's head fell backward while her knees grew weak. She was thankful that he had a good, but gentle, hold onto her waist….

* * *

The rest of the night was burned indelibly into Ino's memory. That night, her lover had finally healed her and showed what making love was all about. Naruto had sent her on a high that she never knew existed, taking her to the very gates of Heaven time and time again before her young body finally gave out in sheer exhaustion. The young Yamanaka couldn't pinpoint just one event from that night that she could classify as her favorite as it all had been so very special to her. From Naruto's gentle caress, to the feel of his warm breath on her most private areas, to how he slowly entered her and treated her like it was her very first time, to the look of absolute love and devotion she saw in his deep blue eyes when they truly became one, to how he worked his magic to send her over the edge time and time again, to how she finally felt him swell and send his seed deep into her womb…it all made for one of the most beautiful evenings she had ever spent in her life.

The next morning, Ino woke up with her head laying on her lover's chest, enjoying the his scent and the warmth that always seemed to emanate from the Toad Sage. She began to trace little circles on his chest, drawing a little purr from deep within Naruto as she continued her erotic ministrations. She carefully traced the fist sized scar on his chest before she got an evil little smirk on she face and began to run her fingers lower down on his chest until she reached the seal that kept the Kyuubi at bay. Gently she began to tickle it, which sent waves of sheer pleasure to both Naruto and his tenant. After Naruto woke up with a silly grin on his face….she pounced!

The look on Tsunade's face when she and Shizune showed up around noon that day to help Naruto and Ino out in the preparations for the Christmas party was priceless. Ino's noticeable limp as well as the fact she showed up clad only in one of Naruto's t-shirts had the Hokage blushing like mad, but it was the site of Naruto clad only in his boxers, as well as the scent of musk in the air, that caused Shizune to faint on the doorstep. Shaking his head, Naruto picked his adopted sister up and placed her on the couch before he was shooed off to take a shower while Tsunade had a rather embarrassing talk with Ino.

"God, I'd rather have that talk again with Tsunade than what I'm gonna have to tell him pretty soon," Ino muttered as she continued to pace the small exam room, waiting for Shizune to arrive.

"Ino, you really need to relax," Hinata commented as she watched the frazzled blonde walk in dizzying circles before her pale eyes. With the birth of her second child now just a few short weeks away, the constant weakness she felt, along with the hassle of having to work around her now rather large belly was beginning to shorten the Hyuuga leader's patience. "Will you sit down please? Watching you walk around like that makes me want to hurl!"

"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry, Hinata," Ino replied as she promptly plopped herself down in the chair that was provided for the exam room. She sat on the edge of the seat, her back ramrod straight as she bounced her legs on the balls of her feet. "I'm just worried, I guess."

"Really? I would have never known," Hinata smiled as she watched her dear friend beginning to nibble on her nails. "It's going to be alright, Ino! It's not like you're the first one to go through this. It's been going on for as long as there have been men and women. You're going to be okay!"

"It's not me I'm worried about," the blonde replied as she finally slumped back into the seat. "It's him."

"He'll be okay, trust me. After all, it's not his first…or even his second," Hinata smirked, earning a mock glare from her friend before she stuck her tongue out at her. The dark- haired woman laughed at Ino's childish behavior. "I swear, you two were made for each other!"

"I'm not even going to dignify that one with a remark," Ino giggled, relaxing somewhat as she blew a lock of hair from her eyes. "I'm just worried about what he's gonna think…hell, I'm worried about what my parents are gonna think."

"Speaking of that, how is your mother doing?" Ino's face clouded somewhat at Hinata's question. The look of caring was clearly evident on the pale-eyed woman's face.

"She's doing alright, for now anyway. Lady Tsunade's got the cancer under control with the herbs she's been giving Mom, as well as the chakra treatments. Mom's in high spirits…it's Daddy and Naruto I'm worried about. He and Mom have gotten really close," the blonde replied. Hinata nodded in understanding, since Naruto was an orphan, he had a habit of latching on to mother figures, the Hokage being a prime example. As soon as Ino's parents learned of her romance with the Blonde Whirlwind of Konoha, they welcomed him with open arms, her mother especially. She understood that, despite Naruto being an adult in his early twenties, he needed someone to fill that hole in his life. Much to Naruto's delight, he now had two women mother-henning him these days. Tsunade provided the structure and support, while Ino's mother provided the open love.

"I really don't know who seemed more upset, you or him," Hinata added, remembering how the two blondes broke down and comforted each other when they received the news. She and all their friends noticed that seemed to bring the two that much closer together. "So…are you completely sure?"

"Yeah, I am," the mind-walker sighed as she seemed to tense up again. "I took the test three times, then ran a medical scan on myself. I just need to get Tsunade or Shizune to officially confirm it and…what are you smiling about?"

"Oh, I don't know…just the thought of the look on Naruto's face when he finds out…he's going to be so happy! Just think, he's going to have the family he always yearned for," answered Hinata, her smile never going away despite the look of dread on Ino's face.

"He's already got that family, Hinata, between Kushina and the little one. What really worries me is that this might just bring back the memories and the feeling of when he found out about Sakura and Sasuke! And…I don't want you to think that I'm stealing your thunder or anything," Shyly looking down, Ino couldn't see the raised eyebrow of her friend or the rather Ino-like smirk on her lips.

"Lord, what has happened to us? It's like we've turned into each other," Hinata giggled, forcing a small smile from her friend. "Ino, listen to me…you are pregnant with Naruto's baby…you are going to have HIS baby! I can't think of anything else that would make him happier in the world…I mean, you should have seen his face when Kushina was born, even if we couldn't acknowledge him as her father. He glowed brighter than the sun."

"And when he found out that you were pregnant again, he seemed so happy," Ino continued as worry, fear, and joy all seemed to war within her heart. "It's just that…you and Naruto's relationship is so unique, whereas mine and his is a little more traditional…NO! Wait! Hold on, I didn't mean it to sound like that!" Ino tried to ward off an angry, pregnant Hinata only to be startled by the peals of laughter coming from the head of the Hyuuga clan.

"It's okay, Ino! I understand that mine and Naruto's relationship is…unique, as you so aptly call it," Hinata wiped tears from her eyes as she continued to laugh. She was glad she was laying down on the examination table, otherwise she'd be on the floor. "So, you're scared that being in a more _traditional_ relationship will bring back to mind what Sakura did to him, right?"

"Yeah," the blonde bombshell sighed once more. Hinata's eyes softened as she thought about her friend's fears.

"Ino…Naruto loves you and he will love the baby, just give him a chance, okay?" soothed Hinata before an evil twinkle made it's way to her pale eyes, "As for stealing my thunder…you can have it! All the morning sickness, the pain in your feet and back, the heartburn, the weird cravings, the bloated feeling that never goes away…and worst of all, friends, family, and absolute strangers wanting to rub your stomach! I swear, I had to use the Gentle Fist on the last gaggle of busybodies that wanted to caress my belly!" The two young women continued to laugh until a knock was heard on the door and a familiar head popped in the room.

"Well, it's nice to see my patient in such a good mood," Shizune smiled as she walked in carrying a clipboard, "So what's so funny?"

"Oh, Hinata was just telling me about the hordes of well-wishers she had to fight off the other day," Ino replied while Shizune nodded her head in understanding. "Uh, Shizune, could I talk to you after you get finished with Hinata today……."

End of Chapter 20

* * *

_**A/N**__: This was the most difficult chapter for me to write. The reason: whether to describe Naruto and Ino's first time together or not. Seriously, I could have written it either way, but I kept going back and forth as to do so or not. I finally decided to allow the reader to visualize it for themselves, with just the merest mention of that evening. I apologize for the delay, but I really didn't want to ruin the story._

_ I do have on slight gripe, though. There have been a few people who have written me and complained and demanded that I update the story faster than I have been. I don't mean the "Please update soon" posts, those aren't a problem. It is those who write me and tell me that I have no excuse whatsoever for delaying posting the next chapter now that any equipment problem I had in the past are fixed._

_ **First thing**: I write for pleasure's sake. I like to write. Ordering me to do so will cause me to do the opposite. Period. I'm a Texan…it's in my nature. **Second**: I actually have a life beyond writing fan fictions. I have a wife, children, and a full time job that I am trying to get some additional training for so that the company won't lay me off. **Third**: We are currently trying to find another place to live. I have three teenagers, so this place is getting a bit small. **Fourth**: I still had equipment problems, but now I have a brand new HP desktop, fully paid for, and am having no problems with it whatsoever. _

_ If this author's note has offended anybody, believe me, it was not my intent. I merely had to vent just a bit about apparent rudeness by one or two individuals. To all my other readers, I am sorry of the delay, and I will do my best to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. I thank you for your time and patience. --Lord Talon_


	21. Chapter 21

To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 21

The long, long day was finally drawing to a close as Naruto sat back in his chair and blew a sigh of relief. He had been worried all day about how Hinata's doctor visit was going, and the blonde jinchuurki was rather upset that Tsunade had refused to allow him to take the day off to go with her to the appointment.

"Thank goodness for Ino," he sighed while staring at the extremely large stack of scrolls that currently sat in his outbox. Smiling while shaking his head, the Toad Sage remembered how chipper his girlfriend seemed when she volunteered to take their mutual friend and watch out for her. In the almost three months since they had consummated their love, Naruto had never been happier, not even when he was married to Sakura. There was just something about the hot little blonde he loved that set his heart and mind free. She was his perfect match in just about everything.

Of course, their relationship wasn't perfect…no relationship ever is, but it was about as perfect as he could ever wish it to be. They had their disagreements, to be sure, but the Yamanaka heir never made him feel like he was beneath her notice, she was never cruel to him, and she never made him feel like he was a consolation prize…like he was her second or third choice…unlike his ex-wife. They had their little arguments, but it was over silly stuff, non-consequential things that really had no bearing on life in general. But in the end, they both would apologize, laugh and kiss…never going to bed angry with each other. Naruto couldn't be any happier.

The only thing that worried our blonde hero at the moment was that something had seemed a little…off…with Ino the last week or so. Despite how much she smiled and reassured him that everything was alight, something still seemed out of place. The only time that he didn't feel that way was earlier that day when she agreed to accompany Hinata. The light seemed to shine perfectly in her pale blue orbs once more as she literally had danced out the door to pick up the Hyuuga Clan leader.

"_I'm probably over-thinking this,_" he thought to himself, _"There is probably nothing wrong…guess I'm still a little nervous about our relationship_."

"**I don't know, kit,**" the Kyuubi chimed in, his deep basso rumbling through Naruto's mind, **"I think you're right about something being a bit off with our mate. I keep getting these weird…sensations through the seal…ones that I can't explain, nor have I ever felt them before in the centuries that I have existed. It is…strange…foreign…but not malignant. If anything, it feels…warm.**"

"_Yeah, I know what you mean…what do you mean 'our' mate?_" Naruto mentally barked as he prepared his dreaded Kitten no Jutsu. He stood before the Kyuubi's cage at the speed of thought, a swirling mass of fur floating above his hand, like a fuzzy version of his Rasengan.

"**Listen, kit, you and I are slowly becoming one…as you well know,**" the Kyuubi sighed as he lowered his massive head down to rest on his paws. It seemed that he actually was beginning to grow tired at times, and it frightened him a bit, **" Soon…all too soon…I will no longer exist, there will only be you. My spirit, my mind, my essence will be gone…leaving only my power behind. And you, you thick-headed vampire, will have sucked it all up! But for now…we are connected, we are merging, and for some damn reason I am feeling just about every damn thing you are! So yes…I said OUR mate! It hurt me just as much as it did you when that pink-haired whore did what she did…when we discovered that the child wasn't ours!**"

"_Kyuubi…I'm sorry,_" a small thought passed through the cage as the whirling mass of cuteness vanished from the Sage's upraised hand.

"**It's okay, I guess,**" the Fox muttered as his eyes seemed to droop and his tails fell limply to the floor, **" Do you have any idea how confusing it is for me to feel emotions? For millennia, all I ever felt was anger, hate, rage, and the sheer need to destroy every fucking thing that stood in my way. I never had a mate, I never had friends, I never had kits of my own, and I never felt any emptiness in my heart! Hell, I don't think I even had a heart back then…,**" Suddenly, the Kitsune's rant stopped as his head snapped up and his nine tails began to wag happily.

"_What is it, Fox?_" asked Naruto, taken back a bit by his prisoner's behavior.

"**She's coming! Our mate is on her way here but…something is wrong!**" Kyuubi whined as worry became evident in his eyes.

"_What? What is it? Is it Hinata and the baby?_" the blonde asked, his heart beginning to drop to his feet. The Great Fox shook his head, confusion reining in it's mind.

"**No…nothing like that…but something is bothering her somewhat**," With a quick shake of his head, Naruto was back in the here and now, leaving the worried Kitsune behind to stew in it's own fears. A knock at the door quickly drew his attention toward the wooden portal that divided his office from the chaos that was the rest of the Hokage Tower.

"Come in," he called out, expecting to see the face of the lady of his heart, but he was surprised to see that the blonde of his dreams was not alone.. "Ah…Ino, Shizune…how did everything go with Hinata's visit?"

"The Lady Hyuuga and her child are doing just fine," Shizune replied with a strange look in her eye and a smirk on her lips, all be it a small one though. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the Hokage's assistant before turning to his own assistant with an unasked question in his eyes, but for some reason Ino seemed unable to look her boyfriend in the eye.

"That's…uh…great news, Shizune!" The Toad Sage replied, still unable to shake the weird feeling he was getting from his adopted big sister. It seemed to be a combination of delight, disbelief, disapproval, wonder, and just plain exasperation. "So…she's still due in about three weeks or so?"

"Yes, Lord Namikaze, she's still due in about three weeks. There will be another little Namikaze floating around Konoha soon," the medic replied as she cast her eyes toward Ino, trying desperately to catch the young blonde's eye, but to no avail. Naruto continued to get the weird vibe and it was really beginning to bug him. It felt like that the ladies that were standing before him were keeping something from him…something that was very, very important.

"Uh, can I ask a another real quick question?" Naruto asked rather hesitantly. He didn't continue until Shizune nodded to him. "Why are you acting so weird? So…formal-like?"

"Well, this is an official report about one of the clan leaders of Konoha, as well as a member of the council and one of the top shinobi of the village. You are the Hokage's designated successor, and as such, it is recommended that all appropriate titles and courtesies be used and observed," Shizune replied rather stiffly before glancing back toward Ino and sighing.

"Oh…okay," Naruto nodded slowly, his eyes still showing his confusion. "It's just kinda…weird, you know? We've known each other for years now, Shizune. We don't have to be so formal with each other, do we?"

"I suppose not, Naruto," Shizune sighed again, shaking her head a bit, "But it is something that you really need to get used to, just in case you have anyone in the office on an official visit. You will need to act appropriate at all times, and seeming too familiar with someone may set a bad example for such meetings. For instance, you may have noticed that I call Tsunade 'Lady Hokage' or 'Lady Tsunade' almost all the time whenever she is in the office. You really need to do the same, like calling Ino here 'Miss Yamanaka' whenever you two are at the office."

"Whoa…that would be just too weird," the Sage muttered, drawing a small chuckle from his girlfriend and a smile from Shizune. "But, Shizune…why did you say 'another little Namikaze' ? You and I both know that the baby's last name will be Hyuuga, just like Kushina's. Hinata and I both agreed to that so as to protect the children."

"Wow, look at the time! I really need to leave and update Lady Tsunade on Hinata's condition," Shizune remarked quickly as she turned on her heel and made for the door, leaving Naruto and Ino in the room together, both wide-eyed at her sudden departure, especially after the was heard to mutter something about "Namikaze" and "damned super semen". The moment she was out the door, Naruto shook his head before smiling at his girlfriend. Getting up from behind the prison he called a desk, he quickly crossed the room and enveloped his lady in a gentle, loving hug.

"Sunshine…are you alright?" he asked softly as he nuzzled her hair. Ino quickly wrapped her arms around his waist and held on to him for dear life, enjoying the warmth and strength she always felt around her lover.

"Um…yeah, I'm okay…I guess," she mumbled, burying her head into his chest, hoping and praying her news wouldn't drive him out of her life. That was something she knew she wouldn't be able to survive.

"Are you sure? " Naruto asked as he pulled back a bit and looked deep into her pale blue eyes. "It just seems like something has been bothering you lately…I've been worried about you." The look in her eyes let him know that there was something to what he had just asked.

"Um…well…I do have something to tell you," Ino replied as she broke eye contact and looked down as she bit her lower lip. After being around the beautiful blonde for so long, he knew the signals she gave off whenever she was extremely worried or nervous. The only one missing right now was her nibbling on her thumbnail. If he saw that, he knew that it was really serious.

"Sure thing, hon…you can tell me anything," Naruto reassured her as he lifted her head to look up at him with a finger under her chin. A small, sad little smile seemed to caress her lips.

"You really are my beautiful Angel," she replied before stepping back from their embrace. Her eyes began to dart around the room briefly before she stared out the window at the world at large. "You…uh…may wanna sit down for this." The thumbnail instantly ended up between her teeth.

"_Uh oh_," Naruto thought to himself as he walked over and took a seat on the sofa at the far end of his office. Tsunade had it installed not long after he took the job after she caught him asleep behind his desk halfway through a rather difficult day. Her excuse was that she hated seeing drool stains all over official village documents.

"**Uh oh indeed**," Kyuubi barked as his ears perked up. "**She never gnaws on her claws unless something is really bad.**" The great Fox never could understand why someone would want to purposely mangled their claws like that. As weapons, they are something you wanted to care for because you would never know when you would need them in battle.

"_Nails, Fox. Humans have nails, not claws,_" the blonde Sage replied as he studied his lady closely. The Kitsune shook his head in indifference.

"**Claws, nails…whatever. She damn sure used them as claws last week when you two wrecked the living room during your mating! I had a difficult time healing those scratches on your back whenever she kept digging her claws into you**," the Fox smirked as his host did his best to keep his mind off that particular night.

"_Not now, Fox_," Naruto mentally grumbled as he watched his girlfriend pacing the room before him rather quickly, passing left to right several times before she stopped before him with eyes filled with worry and sadness.

"I really don't know how to tell you this," Ino said softly as she began to wring her hands in worry. "I don't know how it happened…well, I know how it happened, but I'm not sure how IT happened…," Naruto screwed up his face in confusion as he tried his best to make sense of what his girlfriend was trying to tell him.

"Ino, calm down, take a breath…you're beginning to babble," Naruto said gently as he continued to watch the mind-walker pace a hole in the floor. "If you keep this up, we're gonna have to get a new carpet!"

"What?" Ino stopped in front of him, glaring at him until she saw the smile on his face, causing her anger to vanish in an instant. There was just something about that smile, and those bright blues eyes that would set her world right. "Oh, sorry."

"It's okay," he reassured, feeling better as a small smile played across her beautiful face. "Just relax, and tell me what's wrong."

"A-alright," Ino stammered before taking a deep cleansing breath to steady her nerves. This was the instant that she was afraid would end her world, and she wasn't handling it too well. "You know how I haven't been feeling completely like myself lately?" She waited until he nodded his head to continue. "Well…the reason is…and I still can't believe it happened…I mean, after all, you would think that stupid jutsu would work…"

"Ino…" the Sage said to catch her attention once more. She blushed when she realized that she had gone back to Laa-Laa Land.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I just don't know how to say this but…here goes: I'm pregnant." Ino screwed her eyes shut, just waiting for her boyfriend to explode in anger and storm out of her life. However, Naruto being the unpredictable knucklehead he always was, didn't give her the reaction she expected. In fact, it was deathly quiet…and that was beginning to scare her. Slowly, she cracked open one eye and peered at her lover, and was utterly surprised to see the blank look in his eyes. "Naruto?"

"A…a baby?" he whispered while alarm bells went off in his head. The Great Fox sealed within the Sage was doing his best to calm the mighty warrior down, but it was like fighting a forest fire with a bucket of gasoline.

"**Kit? Kit! Hey, dumbass, get a hold of yourself! Our mate just told us she was pregnant! What the hell is the matter with you?**" rumbled the Kitsune as he watched Naruto pace around and around before his cage. It was actually beginning to make the Kyuubi dizzy.

"_A baby…a baby…oh my god…a baby…_" the blonde kept muttering to himself as his steps sent great tremors throughout his mindscape. Even the great Kyuubi himself was fighting a losing battle to stay upright as raw emotion continued to be vented all around them.

"**Yes, a baby, idiot! Isn't that what you silly monkeys do when you fall in love and mate…have babies? Hell…it's not like this is your first one, you and the Hyuuga hottie have two now**," Naruto continued to wallow in emotion as the Fox tried to reason with him until he heard something from the Sage that made even his fiery blood run cold.

"_It…it's not like it is with Hinata._" Naruto mumbled as he collapsed to his knees on the hard stone surface. The water level in the sewer was beginning to rise once more, something that hadn't happened since he and Ino had become an item. It was then that he uttered the words that sent dread and a wave of intense cold even through the body of the massive Fox. "_It…it's like it was…with…with Sakura._"

"**Oh shit….damn kit, I'm sorry,**" Kyuubi rumbled as his ears and tails drooped to the floor. He dropped his head as low as he could and peered into the lost and panicked eyes of the Toad sage. Here was a man that was able to destroy an immortal shinobi and his extremely powerful minions, who could face down entire armies with a smile on his face and defeat them damn near single-handedly, and the only enemy that could defeat him was the memory of his ex-wife and her betrayal. "**That bitch really did a number on you, didn't she? Look, this is Ino we're talking about, not the pink-haired banshee! She's the one that knows you inside and out! You know her just as well!**"

"_I thought I knew Sakura just as well…I gave her my heart…I gave her everything_," the Sage muttered, his eyes downcast. "_I know that Ino would never hurt me…betray me…but I thought that with Sakura too_."

"Naruto?" Ino asked, extremely worried about her silent lover. His skin had grown very pale, his eyes had glazed over, and a small tear began to slide down his whiskered cheek. "Baby?"

"**Kit! Snap out of it!**" bellowed the angry Fox as he slammed his tailed into the floor, doing his best to try to snap Naruto out of his daze. "**You're beginning to worry our mate! Listen to me, damn it! She loves you for some stupid reason, asshole, and now she looks scared out of her mind! What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you trust her?**"

"Angel? Please say something!" Ino cried, tears forming in her pale blue eyes. She was so afraid that he would have a reaction like this, and she just knew what going on inside his mind right now. She wouldn't be surprised if he just walked out of her life right then and there. A pulse of sheer agony and sadness flowed from her seal to it's mate on Naruto's stomach. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry….."

_ "I trust her…but I trusted Sakura too,"_ Naruto whispered as a sudden pain slammed into his stomach, causing his eyes to go wide in shock. "_Ino! Shit…something's wrong!"_

"**You're damned right that something is wrong, you frigging idiot!**" Kyuubi snarled, baring his teeth in frustration at the actions of his host. "**She's scared to death that she's lost you! This is the same woman that entered your fucked up head and pieced you mind back together, and this is the way you treat her? With silence and doubt?**"

"Baby, please come back to me!" Ino wailed as the tears she was holding back began to slide down her perfect skin. "I'm so sorry!"

"**I can't believe I'm saying this,**" Kyuubi mumbled before looking back toward his jailor, " **Look kit, what does your heart say? Does it tell you that she'd betray you like the bitch did? Come on, man, you can feel everything that she feels through that seal you two share…so what does it tell you she's feeling right now?**"

"_She feels lost…confused…scared.…scared of losing me_," Naruto gasped as the pain struck him once more, the pain that the love of his life was feeling right then, right now…because of him and his scars, scars that should have been healed months ago. "_God, I'm such an ass… but…"_

"**You're scared right now, too, right? You're scared because this wasn't planned, giving you any time to get ready for it, to put aside your issues and work totally passed the pain the pink-haired whore put you through,**" the Fox replied as gently as he could. "**You probably thought you had years to go to plan a family with the blonde hottie, but sometimes life deals out a wild card, changing the hand you are holding from something safe to something utterly out of your control. But look at her now…she's hurting, she's so sad that it hurts even my great black heart, and here you stand wallowing in your own fears! Just what the hell kinda man does that make you?**"

"_I'm scared, Kyuubi_," he whispered, his great blue eyes showing all the pain left over from the betrayal of his ex-wife and best friend. _"I guess I'm just a fucking coward_!"

"**That's bullshit and you know it, Jackass**!" the Kitsune barked at him. "**Look, there is a way you can tell if you're that fucking afraid of what is going on. Just use that chakra blanket I taught you, it can be used to as a chakra detector, and you are a good enough shinobi to tell the difference between your and Ino's chakra mixed together or hers and someone else's.**" Naruto looked up toward the great beast with lost eyes.

"_Use the blanket?_" the Hokage-to-be whispered, gears slowly beginning to turn deep within his frozen brain. He had used it on Sakura, but had never even thought about using it to tell if the child was his…mainly because he didn't consciously think she would have cheated on him. But the more he thought about, the more sense it made. After all, he had used the blanket on Hinata, and not only could he tell that her child was his, but he was able to determine the sex of the child as well…which was something he kept to himself, so as not to ruin the surprise. So…maybe he could do that, not just for his sake, but for his mate's as well.

"Please, baby? I'm sorry…don't leave me! Please!" Ino pleaded, doing everything she could to get some sort of reaction from the catatonic Sage. Slowly, after what seemed like an eternity but actually was only a few seconds, Naruto's eyes began to slowly refocus, but their target wasn't the pale blues of Ino's, but on the small bulge he could see on her lower belly…now that he knew to look there.

Raising his hand to the level of her waist, Naruto took a small, unsure step towards her as a sheen of light pink chakra covered his hand. Ino's eyes grew large when she recognized his Chakra Blanket, having seen it whenever he used it on Hinata and the baby. Her heart leapt at the small hope that this was a sign that he had accepted their child, but that sniggling doubt remained in the back of her mind. She could feel the storm of emotions running through their seals and it worried her to no end. After what felt like an eternity, she felt his hand make contact with her belly as the warmth of the Blanket engulfed her core sending waves of comfort and well-being coursing throughout her young body. She and the stricken Sage gasped at the same times as knowledge slammed into their paired souls.

"**Kit! It's ours! The baby…the little vixen…she's ours!**" The Kyuubi howled his sheer joy throughout the darkened mind of his jailor. Naruto didn't hear him, despite the huge amount of power the Kitsune had used in his howls and yips. His mind was focused on the small life that resided deep within his chosen mate, the young blonde woman that held so much sway over his heart and soul. Within an instant, Naruto was back in the real world, but his focus remained on the tiny, tiny baby that dwelled inside his lady. He poured all his love into the chakra blanket, sending waves upon waves of warmth, love, and joy toward the precious life that was now the center of his world.

"Ours…she's our…she's ours," Naruto whispered as he fell to his knees and hugged Ino around her waist, tears of absolute joy pouring down his whiskered cheeks. Ino sobbed and began to cry with relief as she wrapped her arms around his head and cradled the kneeling shinobi. "God, Ino…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…"

"Shh! I know. I know baby, I understand," Ino whispered as she ran her fingers through her hair. She really did understand…the damage Sakura had done to him ran very, very deep, and she knew that kind of damage was something only time and pure love could heal. She saw this coming and she was just happy to know that he hadn't walked out of her life. With a small smile, she continued to hold on to the man that she loved.

Deep with the kunoichi, a small life stirred. It had no true awareness yet, and it knew nothing of conflict, hurt, anger, sorrow, pain, need or wanting. It was just there, existing, floating around in a warm, self-enclosed universe. The small proto-human knew nothing of the outside world, it knew nothing of the pain that it's parents had gone through in their young lives, and it surely knew nothing of human bonding and pairing. However, waves of warmth began to reach out toward it from the strange, outside world beyond it's mother's womb. The warmth surrounded the small vixen…it caressed it…held it and whispered to it. It was a strange thing, but the warmth, the caring, the love it felt wasn't something it could describe….but it was welcome, most welcome. Even without any conscious thought, the little vixen knew that she liked it…she needed it…and she definite wanted more of it. Now if it could just figure out a way to let everyone know what she wanted…..

"Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze! I swear to God that if ever touch me again, I'll rip your nuts off with a dull kunai!" Ino screamed as she gripped his hand tightly, glaring daggers at him as another contraction coursed through her body. Naruto winced as he grew slightly pale, a thin sheen of perspiration covering his forehead.

"I'm sorry, Sunshine," he whispered into her ear after the contraction passed. Ino bit her lip as tears began to form in her eyes. Naruto reached over and grabbed the cold, damp rag he had gotten before the main event had started. Gently, he wiped the sweat from her face and forehead, eliciting a moan from the tired kunoichi.

"No, Angel…I'm sorry," she replied in a tired voice as she looked into his loving eyes. After almost twenty four hours of labor, she and her mate were on the edge of utter exhaustion. "I don't mean to be a bitch…it just hurts so much!"

"I know, baby. I know," he smiled at her, raising her spirits. She still couldn't figure out how he did it, but his smile could always make her feel better. She suddenly noticed the shadow that passed over his eyes, but before she could comment on it, the next contraction hit her like an Akimichi at full expansion. A scream ripped out of her raw throat as she squeezed Naruto's hand as hard as she could.

"Breath, Ino…you really need to breath," Tsunade said as she peeked her head back over the sheets that were draped over Ino, blocking her and Naruto's view of exactly what was going on down in her nether regions.

"I am breathing, damn it!" Ino snapped back as she glared daggers in the Hokage's direction before the contraction passed. Ino's head hit her pillow as an exhausted sigh passed through her lips. "Is it ok to push yet?"

"Not just yet, Ino," Tsunade replied as she bent down below the sheets, popping her head back up once more. "You're still just dilated to nine centimeters. It should be pretty soon, though."

"Grandma, how come the epidural isn't working?" Naruto asked as he caressed Ino's face and sweat-soaked hair. Tsunade glanced at him and became worried at how pale the young Sage appeared.

"Sometimes it just doesn't, Naruto," she explained as she looked apologetically toward Ino. The young Yamanaka just nodded her head in agreement, showing the she understood. Ino had attended enough births to understand what does and what doesn't work.

**"Damn, kit, just how long does this take?**" Kyuubi moaned and he rolled around on the floor of his cell, curled up in a ball holding his stomach. "**If I had known it would be this bad, I wouldn't have agreed to do this in the first place**!"

"_Sorry about that, Fox, but it's not doing me or Ino any good either_," he replied as he glanced deep within his mind at the stricken bijuu, who looked like Death warmed over. "_If I remember correctly, it was your idea at the time!_"

"**You were the one who felt bad that we couldn't help our mate any more than we were back when she felt sick early on in her pregnancy,**" The fox moaned, his tails laying flat and lifeless on the floor. Unbeknownst to either Sage or bijuu, Ino had noticed the look in Naruto's eyes and knew he was talking to the fox. Concentrating on her own seal, she slipped in and spied on the both of them in the shadows.

"_I just hated seeing her suffer so much,_" Naruto murmured as he slowly walked forward and rested his head on the bars of the Kyuubi's cage. "_There was nothing I could do to for Hinata when she had either Kushina or Hizashi, but since Ino and I are linked by our seals….,_"

**"…you thought it would be a good idea to take on as much of her suffering as you could,"** the Kitsune concluded, shaking his head miserably. **"I swear, I have never felt so horrible in my entire life! How in the hell can human females go through this all the time?" **

_"Because they're special_," the blonde shinobi answered as he slowly slid down the bars and sat on the floor. "_Because they are so much stronger than us_."

"_Did…did you really do that? For me_?" Ino asked as she walked from the shadows holding her swollen belly. Waddling over to Naruto, she smiled as he reached up and pulled her down into his lap. "_How? When?_"

"_Since that first time you came down with a really bad case of Morning Sickness,_" Naruto hugged her close and began to stroke her hair. "_Ever since then, whenever we felt your distress through the seal, we began to take as much of your pain and discomfort that we could._"

"**It was MY idea**," the great Kitsune moaned, his eyes glazed over with discomfort. Ino looked up at the big fuzz ball and gave him a gracious smile. If Naruto didn't know any better, he could swear the Fox blushed.

"_Thank you…both of you,_" she whispered as she laid her head against Naruto's shoulder, doing what she could to relax before heading back to the real world. "_Too bad you couldn't do that for Hinata…she had such a rough time having Hizashi_."

"_Yeah…I still remember the Gentle Fist strike she used on my…uh…boys,_" the Sage winced as the memory of the pain he felt passed through his mind, causing yet another moan to work it's way out of the throat of the Great Fox. Since he and Naruto were so close to merging, the Kitsune felt everything the blonde did…including the feel of having all the chakra points in his nether regions getting shut down…violently. "_But it was all worth it, especially seeing the look on Neji's face when we named the baby after his father!_"

_"I never thought I'd see the day when Neji Hyuuga would bawl like a baby! He didn't even cry like that when he and Ten-Ten had their baby,_" Ino giggled before a strange feeling passed through herself and the other two in the cage area. "_Angel, I think it's time we get back._"

"_Yeah, I think you're right_," he replied as the two left, leaving the poor fox alone to it's discomfort. After tonight, he was gonna rest and maybe end up playing a little bit with his two little friends. Hizashi couldn't do much but lay there in his paw and look cute, but Kushina sure was a handful!

"Marry me," he whispered to her as soon as they had come back to the real world, earning a gasp from the platinum blonde.

" Wha….Naruto, we talked about this before I ever became pregnant," Ino sighed, the expression on her face was enough to drive a stake through Naruto's heart. "Remember, I said I never wanted to get married to a guy just because I got pregnant and had a baby. I want it to be real…not something that I have to do."

"Ino, this is real!" Naruto replied vehemently but soft enough so as to not disturb the others in the room, not realizing that Tsunade could hear everything. "I love you more than I ever thought I could ever again! My God, you're my whole world, I'd do anything for you…I'd do anything you ever asked of me…I'd give up every freaking thing else on this damn dirt ball of a planet just to make you happy. I NEED you in my life! Now and always! I'm not asking you to marry me because I need to because of the baby…if that was the case, I'd have asked as soon as I found out you were pregnant! I'm asking because I want to spend the rest of my life making you and our little ones happy! I want to spend the rest of my miserable life knowing that when I come home, I'd have the most beautiful woman in the world waiting there for me to help me through all the hell my life has been and will be! Ino, I love you and I want you to be my wife! Please? I know I'm not the most handsome guy there is, and I know I'm an idiot and you could do some much better than me but please….let me have the honor of being your husband…please?"

Tears of happiness, rather than pain, began to slide down Ino's face as the sheer power of Naruto's words hammered down upon her doubting heart. She had always hoped that one day she and the whiskered Sage would finally settle down and make an eternal commitment to each other, but after she became pregnant she set that aside as best as she could. What she had said was true, she never wanted to marry because she HAD to, she would get married because she WANTED to.

She felt the sincerity in Naruto's words, and she had to admit, if he was going to propose just because of the baby, he would have done so when he discovered that she was with child. And to his credit, he held back, loving her and supporting her, but never pressuring her into something he was afraid that she wouldn't want. Now however…there was no pressure to do the 'right' thing, there was only sheer and absolute love expressed not just in his words, but in his eyes, his face, his actions. She knew that right then and there, this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, the one guy who would never treat her like crap, never stray, and would die before he did anything to hurt her. He would do anything and everything for her and their child.

"Yes…I'll marry you, Angel," she whispered as his tears began to fall, matching the ones in her eyes as well.

"Okay, Ino…you're finally dilated to a ten," Tsunade said as she looked up at her two fellow blondes and raised an eyebrow seeing the two of them sharing a quick kiss. The look on their faces told her that something special had just happened…of course, it didn't help that she heard their entire conversation.. "On the next contraction, start to push!"

"Finally," Ino muttered as she felt the contraction beginning to build up in her lower body. "Oh god, here it comes! Naruto!" A piercing scream erupted from her throat as Naruto and Kyuubi took on as much of the pain as they could. The Toad Sage, who had experienced and survived the pain of having a hand thrust into his chest nearly missing his heart, almost buckled at the knees as the waves of pain passed throughout his body….

"Dear Lord…she's so beautiful," Naruto whispered as he watched Tsunade hand Ino a tiny bundle topped with blonde hair. His heart was in his throat as he crept over to his family…he knew happiness whenever his other two children were born, but this time it was different. With Kushina and Hizashi, he couldn't be around them nearly as much as he would like, nor could he really run around and advertise that he was their father, despite the fact that all of Konoha knew that to be the case. They were Hyuuga, after all. They had a clan, with all the rules, structure, limits, and privileges that applied. Naruto loved them both with all his heart, but they had others to help look after them as they grow. They had , literally, a huge family.

But this time was different. While it was true that Ino had a clan, it was also true that she was his chosen mate. He loved Hinata, and loved her dearly, but it wasn't a husband/wife type of love. She would always have a very, very special place in his heart….but Ino WAS his heart. He, Ino and the baby could be the one thing he wanted more than being Hokage: they would be a family.

"You two did good," Tsunade murmured as she watched her two…well, now three favorite blondes. Despite the sheer exhaustion that showed on Ino's face, she beamed with a beauty that only motherhood could bring out. Naruto…she had never seen Naruto so happy. She knew what all this meant to him. He might have been cheated out of one family…but he gained a much better, much larger one. "It looks like she got her Daddy's hair.

"As long as that's all she got from me," Naruto grinned as he leaned down and kissed the little bundle of joy on the top of her head. "I hope to God she got her mother's beauty and brains!" Ino blushed at her mate's compliments as she stole a quick kiss from him.

"Naw, I hope she got your heart," Ino sighed. As much as she loved her family, twenty-four hours of labor really took it out of her. She purred as she felt Naruto reach over and stroke the side of her face. The two of them began to stared deeply into each other's eyes when they heard a small cough that broke the moment. With matching sighs, they turned to look at the Hokage.

"Well, have you two thought of a name for your little girl?" the elder blonde asked expectantly. Naruto and Ino looked as each other once more before the young Sage turned back to his adoptive mother-figure. A beautiful smile lit up Ino's face while a smirk tried to force it's way onto Naruto's lips.

"Tsunade," Naruto said softly, watching for the medic's reaction.

"Yes?" she replied, her eyes looking confused at the signs of mirth on the young couple's faces. Naruto chuckled slightly as he heard a small gasp escape Shizune's lips as she sat at the desk that inhabited one corner of the birthing room. The Hokage's apprentice was busy filling out the medical records of the birth, as well as making out the birth certificate of the young Namikaze.

"Her name is Tsunade…Tsunade Namikaze," he repeated softly, enjoying the look on the elder blonde's face. The last Senju's jaw fell open as her eyes grew wide and watery. Her jaw moved several times in a feeble attempt to speak, but the lump she felt in her throat kept any sound from coming out. The young couple smiled as they watched a single tear slide down her cheek.

"Why? Are….are you sure? I mean…I'm not the best example to…," Naruto cut her off with a quick hug as the elder woman began to sob into his shoulder. He patted her back and stroked her hair, doing his best to soothe the Sannin.

"Yes, Grandma…we're sure," he murmured as he continued to comfort the crying woman who was currently soaking his shoulder with her tears. After a moment or two, Tsunade broke the embrace and walked over to the bed and leaned over, giving Ino the best hug she could without disturbing the small bundle of joy that currently inhabited her mother's arms. "Ino…her didn't force you do this, did he? I mean…I am a massive screw up and all…"

"We both agreed on it when we found out that we were having a little girl," Ino reassured as she did her best to hug the last Senju, "It was an easy choice after everything you have done for us!"

"God help Konoha…there are now two Tsunades," Naruto smirked earning a punch on the shoulder from the Hokage as the older blonde wiped the tears from her face and walked over toward Shizune to help with the paperwork. His eyes locked with Ino's as they shared a happiness that neither one could explain before he sat down on the chair that he had dragged over to the bed many an hour ago. Looking at his two ladies, a wave of warmth passed through his being the likes of which he had never experienced before in his short lifetime. He knew he needed them to make his life complete. It wouldn't matter to him if he ever became Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves as long as he had his family. His Family.

"So, whatcha thinking, Angel?" Ino whispered as she and her mate looked down at the tiny sleeping bundle of blonde that slowly opened her eyes and looked straight at her father. Naruto's heart melted into a puddle of goo at the sparkle in his little daughter's bright blue eyes. Eyes that reflected every bit of love that he had to give.

"I'm thinking that I'm happy…I'm really, really happy," he whispered in response. "So, you got any ideas for the wedding?" Ino's jaw dropped before she smirked at him, seeing the foxy grin that was plastered on his face. The sparkle in his eye told the beautiful blonde that he was just teasing, but that what he had told her was true. For the first time in his life, Naruto Namikaze was truly happy, and all it took was two loving blondes coming into his messed up life…

End of Chapter 21.

_A/N: Hey folks, sorry it took a while, but here is the next chapter, I hope ya'll enjoy it! I want to thank everyone for their reviews and it does my heart good to know that there are folks out there that enjoy my p*ss-poor attempt at writing. No, don't fret, this story isn't over, despite how it appears at the moment._

_Now, for the two cowards known as Unknown and Unknown II, if you are going to leave reviews like you did, at least have the courage to post your real freaking names! Let me set things straight, I despise child abuse as much as anyone but THIS IS A FREAKING WORK OF FICTION based on an anime and manga! I am writing the characters as close as I can to how their creator has, and as such, Tsunade does have a volatile temper and Naruto often does have a bad case of Foot-in-Mouth disease. Tsunade is not Naruto's mother, but she has taken on a role of a mother figure to him. I am sorry if you hate stories with Naruto getting hit, so you know how to fix it: STOP READING IT! I'm not forcing it down your throat! And compared to a lot of stories I have read, there is very little Tsunade/Naruto violence here._

_As for everyone else, I am glad you enjoy this story, and please ignore the rant in the previous paragraph! You folks take care, and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can! Thanks! -Lord Talon_


	22. Chapter 22

To Live is So Much Harder…

Chapter 22

It was a beautiful day in Konoha…one that reminded everyone just what a great thing it was to be alive and well. The markets were just beginning to open as the children rushed down the streets on their way to school, be it civilian or shinobi, it didn't matter. A light breeze caressed everyone and everything as it carried the light scent of cherry blossoms across the sprawling village which had grown so much since threat of Madara Uchiha had finally been ended. Everywhere you looked life was moving and life was worth living.

Breathing deep, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze smiled as he strolled down the sidewalk as folks turned and greeted the Toad Sage happily with none of the malice he had experienced growing up in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Things had changed greatly over the years and even the last of his detractors had to finally admit that not only was he an extremely powerful shinobi but an extremely loyal one as well. Even the fact that he had survived the hell his ex-wife had put him through was enough for them to show him some begrudging respect.

A day like this reminded him of that one perfect day, a little over four years ago, when Ino Yamanaka became Ino Namikaze. The joy he had felt that day was indescribable, as was the beauty that radiated from his bride that day. Weird thing was, knowing how energetic, loud, and brash the bride and groom were known to act, it had to be one of the most sedate, tranquil, and in some ways…bizarre… weddings Konoha had ever seen.

To start off, there was no way this wedding was anything close to traditional. Normally, when two clans were joined together, both clans' primary colors would be well represented: Orange and Black for the Namikaze, Purple and Lavender for the Yamanaka. Instead, everything was white which, in this case, represented purity rather than death. It stood for the purity of the love the two had for each other…plain and simple.

Naruto stood at the dais alongside his groomsmen, each and everyone of them decked out in white battle cloaks, white cargo pants and white silk shirts. Even the Hokage was dressed in white robes especially made for the event. Shikamaru, Gaara and Iruka stood by his side while across the aisle stood Temari, TenTen, and Hinata who, strangely enough, was holding little Hizashi who was asleep in his mother's arms. Little Ruto was the ring-bearer and was doing his parents so proud by being such a good boy and not fidgeting around or making a fuss. Kushina performed her job as flower girl very well, and made sure that the aisle was properly covered in light lavender and white rose petals.

The Toad Sage's smile grew even wider as he recalled how beautiful his bride looked as she was led down the aisle by her father…both blondes draped in white like the rest of the wedding party. He remembered how Ino would go on and on as a little girl about how she wanted a huge fancy wedding gown for her big day, but what Naruto saw took his breath away. The young mind-walker wore a simple white peasant-type, off the shoulder dress that was made of a light gauzy material that waved gently in the small breeze that blew over the top of the Hokage Monument, where the wedding was being held.

In her arms, sleeping peacefully, was Tsunade Namikaze…much to the surprise of many of the people present. While little 'Nade was a beautiful baby that could melt even Orochimaru's black heart, nobody expected to see her, nor Hizashi, at the wedding. Naruto and Ino weren't your typical bride and groom, however, and decided that they wanted the wedding to be a family affair. Gaara and Shikamaru were like brothers to both the bride and groom while Iruka was the only father figure Naruto ever really had in his life ( Jiraiya was more like a perverted uncle or grandfather!). Little Ruto was like his little nephew he loved to spoil rotten. Temari was Shikamaru's wife and she and TenTen were like big sisters to Naruto and Ino both, while Kushina, Hizashi, and Nade were his children. As for Hinata…well, she was very special to he and Ino both.

There were other things about the wedding that others found odd, but they seemed to fit for some reason. For one, nobody wore shoes: not the wedding party, not the Hokage, not even the guests. The guests, too, wore only white for the wedding while the bride neither carried a bouquet nor wore a garter. The reception was catered by the Ichiraku's and the Akimichi's who served…ramen and barbeque. No surprise there. But the most notable oddity , at least in some people's eyes, was the lack of a certain Uchiha and his family.

The Sage frowned for just a moment as he thought about his ex-wife and his ex-best friend. About two months after the wedding, the Uchiha and Haruno finally decided to get married. Sakura, wanting it to be the social event of the century, went all out in her preparations. She was determined to show Konoha what a proper wedding should look like…despite the fact she had tried to do the same thing when she and Naruto had gotten married.

Engraved invitations were sent out while she had her and Sasuke's wedding kimonos made from the finest silks that money could buy. Her kimono sported her personal colors of red and pink while his matched the clan colors of black and blue, and just to make sure that everyone knew exactly who was getting married, the Uchiha fan was embroidered very proximately on the backs. Sakura ordered thousands of dollars worth of flowers from all the flower shops in Konoha with the exception of Yamanaka Flowers…and this was mainly due to the fact that Inoichi refused their business. Despite her fiancé's reputation in the village, she was able to hire some of the finest restaurants to cater the event…it's amazing what the proper amount of cash can accomplish!

Next, the pink-haired medic tried to get the Hokage to allow the wedding to take place at the same spot as Naruto's and Ino's had been, but she had to settle for the largest dining hall in Konoha when Tsunade refused. Sakura even sent a letter to the Fire Daimyo himself, offering him the privilege of officiating over the wedding of the last of the Uchiha. And just to prove that there were times when Sakura's greatly admired intelligence simply seemed to shut down, she sent a servant over to deliver an invitation to the Namikaze estate. The pinkette hoped that they would show up to see what a proper wedding looked like…and to make them feel bad for not inviting them to their wedding.

The Uchihas were sorely disappointed. After sending invitation to virtually everyone in Konoha, only a handful of Sasuke's most ardent supporters showed up. The Fire Lord refused the 'honor' they had offered with a rather tersely worded letter, so they had to scramble and finally found a priest who reluctantly agreed to perform the ceremony. With so few guests, the great hall looked empty and most of the food went to waste. Sakura went to bed that night in tears despite the fact that she was now married to the man of her dreams.

Naruto chuckled as he thought about the day Ino had walked into the office with a worried look on her face and something hidden behind her back. It took quite a few minutes of cajoling as well as one hell of a tickle fight before Ino finally turned the scroll she had hidden over to the Sage. It turned out to be a petition of marriage from Sasuke and Sakura. Seeing how both were still shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, the Hokage or her representative had to approve and sign it. Ino bit her lower lip as she looked on worriedly while her husband sat stock still and continued to read and think.

It was with a grin and a shrug of his shoulders that Naruto signed the documents, knowing that it was going to shock the stuffing out of the couple after they saw who signed it. Before Ino could say or do anything else, Naruto grabbed up a blank scroll and scribbled a few lines on it before stamping it and sealing it and the marriage documents in yet another scroll. After a questioning look from his wife, he explained that he had merely added their wedding gift to the happy couple. Ino began to explode at the news until Naruto caught her up in a deep kiss and had a clone seal the room as the Hokage-to-be swept his wife off of her feet and properly initiated the office.

"Damn, Grandma beat the snot outta me for that one," Naruto murmured, remembering the pain he experienced when Tsunade discovered that he had moved Sasuke back up to probationary Jounin as well as supplying Team Thirteen with the paperwork for the upcoming Chunin exams. Despite the fact that none of Team Thirteen made Chunin, they all did rank pretty high up in the standing. Sasuke swore they would make it next time…and to his credit, all three did!

Just as Naruto came to the crosswalk and stopped for the immense amount of traffic that plowed the roads of Konoha at this time of day, he sensed something coming in his direction at high speed. The Sage took two steps to the right just as a blur of red and black smashed into his legs from behind. The demon container never flinched…the offending object, however, bounced backwards a good six feet before landing with an 'oof'.

"Hey, are you okay, little one?" Naruto asked as he turned to look at the small boy who was currently rubbing the back of his head. The Toad Sage had deliberately put himself between the young one and the massive amount of carts, horses, and oxen that were barreling down the street. He reached out and helped the small child to his feet.

"Oooo….man, you're strong," the boy moaned as he reached out and took Naruto's hand. His eyes bugged out when the blonde lifted him off the ground and back to his feet with no effort whatsoever. He had never met anyone that was so strong…other than parents, that is. "S-sorry sir. I didn't see you. It was my mistake."

"That's alright," Naruto replied as he reached back and scratched the back of his head. The little boy started to bow to him, causing a reddish hue to appear on the Sage's cheeks. "You just need to watch where you're going next time…otherwise, you could end up as miso paste." With that, he stepped aside and let the boy see all the horse and ox drawn carts that were hurdling down the streets with clear disregard to anyone who was on foot. The child turned whiter than Sai as his dark eyes grew as large as saucers.

"Whoa…I could have gotten hurt really bad," he whispered as he looked up to Naruto, who quickly gave him a smile and a thumbs-up. "Saya would have gotten so mad at me!"

"Saya? Is she your mom?" Naruto wondered why a child so young would be outside with no adult supervision. Of course, then he remembered back to his childhood and mentally shrugged.

"Huh? Oh, no…she's my nanny," the dark-haired child replied as he looked down at his feet, appearing just a little sad. "Momma and Father are both shinobi…so they don't have much time for me. Father is with his team all the time and Momma spends most of her time at the hospital. I only get to see them around dinner time…if I'm lucky."

"Your folks are both shinobi?" Naruto asked as the little boy re-affirmed with a nod. The Jounin got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach as his mind slowly digested the information the kid had supplied him. His father was a Jounin…his mother a medic. The Sage studied the little one for a moment: he appeared to be about five or six years old…had long black hair pulled back into a ponytail…and had coal black eyes. The only time he had seen eyes like that they always appeared to be brooding. The boy's eyes, however, appeared so innocent and full of life. "You know…I'm a shinobi, too. Maybe I know them and I can get you home. My name is Naruto Namikaze."

"Wow! Really? I've heard of you! You're the froggy guy, right?" the little boy gasped as his eyes shot open wide. Naruto had to fight back a laugh.

"Yeah, you're close," the Sage chuckled a bit before continuing on. He knew that Gamabunta would raise all sorts of hell for being called a frog. "I'm the Toad Sage of Konoha, just like my sensei used to be."

"I've heard my parents talk about you, they say that you're really strong! My name is Jiraiya Uchiha, but everybody just calls me Rai," the young Uchiha exclaimed as Naruto looked on in shocked horror.

"_My God…it's Sakura and Sasuke's kid,_" Naruto thought to himself as his eyes flashed red for the briefest of seconds before another fact struck him like a Kyuubi-powered Rasenshuriken. "_They…they didn't even change his name! They still named him after Pervy Sage!_"

"Oh, cool! Your eyes turned red!" Rai yelped as he leapt up in the air, startling the blonde Sage. "I can do that, too! Just watch!"

"Huh?" Naruto looked on as Rai began to concentrate real hard, sweat forming on his young brow as he stood before the jinchuuriki with his knees bent. His arms were at his side with his hands clinched into fists in front of himself as a disturbing growl escaped his throat. To the Toad Sage, it looked for all the world like the young Uchiha had a horrible case of constipation.

"Almost there…almost…there…," Rai muttered as he squinted his eyelids closed to keep his eyes from popping out.

"Hey, kiddo, you might want to slow down or something," the blonde Jounin called out, trying to get the younger male's attention. "You look like you're about to drop a load in your drawers!"

"Grrrr…there!" Rai exclaimed as he turned toward the Toad sage with his eyes wide open. Naruto, for his part, was impressed as he watched a pair of red eyes pointed in his direction. The left eye held a single tomoe, while the right eye sported two. Naruto knew of no other Uchiha who had formed their Sharingan so early…not even Itachi.

"Yeah, you're right! That is cool!" the jinchuuriki complimented, drawing a smile and a slight blush from Rai. The young Uchiha opened his mouth to say something, but his eyes suddenly rolled back into his head as his legs gave out on him. Naruto caught the small boy with lightning speed before he could hit the ground. "You okay?"

"Whoa…dizzy…," murmured the child as he hung limply from the sage's arms, which were placed under his armpits. "Th-that happens every time I do that!"

"That's because you're using way too much chakra in activating that technique," Naruto observed as he picked the boy up and carried him over to a nearby bench and sat him down. "Hasn't your father shown you how to properly mould chakra and send it to your eyes?"

"No," Rai snorted before crossing his arms and pouting. "He say that I'm too young to make my Sharon…Sherry…uh…Red-Eyed thingy! The only thing he tries to show me is how to do fire jutsus and stupid stuff like that. If I don't do them right, he gripes at me and sends me to my room to study."

"Well, tell you what," Naruto said as he felt his heart beginning to go out to the little Uchiha. "How about I show you how to do it? After all…who better to teach you how to mould chakra than a Sage? Besides, to tell the truth, I can make my eyes turn other colors besides red and blue, too. So, I think I'm qualified to help you!"

"Really? You'd show me how to do that? " Rai asked excitedly before his stomach released a rather large growl, alerting the entire area that it needed to be attended to. "Heh-heh…sorry about that!"

"When was the last time you ate?" Naruto asked as he began to feel the pangs of his own hunger. In his rush to enjoy the day, he neglected to grab anything before he left the house.

"I dunno, last night sometime? I ran away from Saya before she could take me to the restaurant we normally go to for breakfast," Rai shrugged his shoulders. Naruto just rolled his eyes at the young boy.

"Alright then…before we start to train, we need to get some breakfast first," the Sage remarked as he looked at his watch and saw that it was close to nine o'clock. "Let's go find your nanny first and then we can get something to eat. Any idea where she is?"

"I don't know," Rai shook his head, looking around in vain, "I've been running and hiding from her since we left the house. She keeps telling me not to do stuff and she won't let me have any fun at all!"

"Yeah, grown-ups are pretty bad about that," agreed the blonde before he stood up and held his hand out to help Rai off the bench. "Are you ready to go to Ichiraku's?"

"Sure, I guess," Rai answered as he hoped down and began to walk next to the Sage. "What do they serve?"

"Ramen," Naruto replied, trying to keep from drooling at the thought of the Noodles of Life. It had been a few days since he last had some, seeing how Ino was trying to get him to cut back. Rai looked up at him strangely.

"Never had it before."

"Lord, you are in for a treat…."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wow, sensei! You're right! That was so much easier…and it was fun, too!" Rai sighed as he sat down on a nearby bench just outside of Team Seven's training grounds. Naruto walked up to him and handed the young Uchiha an ice cream cone to help cool him off and re-energize him.

"You don't have to call me that, Rai," the demon container said as he sat next to the young boy and began to eat his own dish of ice cream. " 'Naruto' is just fine."

"But…you're a sensei, right? You have a team that calls you that, and you showed me so many cool things today! So, to me…you're 'sensei'!" Rai stated as he looked up at Naruto with big, wide eyes full of joy.

"Okay, Jiraiya, whatever floats your boat," Naruto chuckled as the boy looked at him funny for using his whole first name. He had to admit, having someone around who was eager to learn was so refreshing, especially seeing how the current Team Seven cringed every time he smiled at them. "So, did you have fun today?"

"You bet! Getting to train with your team was so cool!" Rai yipped like a small dog as he bounced around in his seat. " Momo, Lara, and Kurina were fun to train with…even if they did want to hug me all the time! None of them could catch me in Ninja Tag, and I found all of them during Hide and Seek."

"Yeah, you definitely ran them into the ground," Naruto laughed, still wanting to put Tsunade in a chokehold for giving him an all-Kunoichi team. He was already exposed to too much estrogen at home as it was. "They thought you were 'really cute' to quote Kurina."

"Well…they are kinda pretty," Rai murmured as he blushed a bit. Naruto watched as Rai looked over at the members of Team Seven as they walked out of the ice cream shop. Suddenly, the Sage felt a small breeze pick up which then turned and rushed along the ground until it ran up Kurina's legs, blowing her skirt up and showing off her dainty undies for all the world to see. The wind died off just as suddenly as Rai turned his head away, a blush on his face that was very reminiscent of those that Hinata used to get when they were younger.

"Rai…did you have anything to do with that?" Naruto asked as his student screamed and ran down the sidewalk holding her skirt down. He had warned her before that she really needed to wear a pair of shorts underneath …or at the very least some wrappings like his wife used to in her younger days.

"I…I didn't mean to, I swear," the young Uchiha answered sadly with tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "It…just kinda happens sometimes, like when I get too hot a breeze shows up and cools me down. Or…or if I try to get away from Saya, a wind will blow something in her way. Please, don't be mad!"

"Shh, it's okay, Rai. I'm not mad at you," Naruto reassured the sad child, offering up a big smile as he reached into his hip pouch and pulled out a small sheet of paper. "If anything, I should be grateful…I think you just taught my team a valuable lesson."

"But…but it was bad of me to do that," Rai mumbled sadly. "Kurina is pretty and I shouldn't have made her scream like that."

"Look at me, Rai," Naruto said softly as the young Uchiha looked up gloomily. "Did you tell the wind to do that?"

"N-no, it's just she looked like she was hot a-and I wanted to help her cool off since there is no breeze today. I didn't ask it to, it just did! You gotta believe me!" Rai wailed, afraid that his really cool teacher was about to dismiss him like his father always did.

"I believe you, Rai! Calm down!" Naruto reassured as he patted the boy's shoulder. "Just relax, stuff like that happens sometimes. To tell the truth, it kinda gives me an idea about something."

"What's that?" the little boy sniffed as he fought hard to keep the tears from falling from his eyes. The Sage smiled at him as he handed Rai the small sheet of paper he had just pulled from his pouch.

"It's chakra paper," Naruto explained as Rai continued to look puzzled. "It's what shinobi use to discover their elemental chakra affinity. All you gotta do is concentrate a little chakra, just like you do your eyes. Go ahead…give it a whirl!"

"Oh…okay," Rai replied before he closed his eyes and forced his chakra into the paper. A small ripping sound was heard, forcing the Uchiha heir to snap his eyes open. "Aw man, I ripped it! I must have done something wrong…I'm sorry I tore it."

"Don't be sad, Rai, it was supposed to do that," Naruto nodded as his suspicions were confirmed. "You said that your father keeps trying to teach you fire jutsus?"

"Uh huh," the young Uchiha nodded his head furiously before a scowl covered his face. "They're really hard, and I keep burning myself. I'm lucky Momma's a doctor…she's the one who always fixes me up."

"Yeah, Sakura had to heal me up a bunch of times," Naruto sighed as he crumpled up his empty cup and threw it in the trash, using his wind chakra to make it do a little dance before it fell in the waste container. Rai looked on, awed at the skill of his sensei. "Well, I can probably tell you why you have so much trouble learning fire jutsus."

"Wow! Really?" the six year old asked incredulously, his eyes still wide from Naruto's display of prowess.

"Yep! It's because you're a wind type. Trust me, it's very difficult for a wind user to learn fire jutsus. It's like the wind just feeds the fire, so they get out of control really quick," the Sage shook his head at the memory of trying to learn fire skills.

"So…I can't ever learn fire jutsus, just wind?" the sadness that had left the child's face earlier quickly came back. Naruto smiled as he held out his hand to help Rai off of the bench.

"No, not at all," the demon container continued as he and the young child walked down the road toward the Uchiha home. " It just means that wind jutsus come easier for you. You can learn any jutsu you want just as long as you work hard for it!" Take your father for example: despite the fact that he is a lightning type, the first jutsus he learned and mastered were the fire ones that most Uchiha learn. Of course, that was before he discovered his element type, but trust me….the fire jutsus didn't come easy for him."

"Sensei, do you know my folks?" Rai wondered as a breeze picked up, cooling the pair. "I mean…you talk like you know all about them and stuff."

"Yeah…I know them, Rai," Naruto replied softly, trying to keep his emotions in check. Despite the fact that he saw Sasuke and Sakura occasionally at the hospital or the Hokage Tower, he hadn't spoken to either of them for several years. "We all were on the same team together back when we were genin. In fact, I'm the one who helped your dad defeat Madera Uchiha."

"You were on the same team as my parents? That's so freaking cool!" Rai yelled as he began to jump up and down in excitement. "Maybe they'll let you be my sensei since they know you!"

"Maybe, Rai, maybe," Naruto grinned, happy to see the boy's enthusiasm. Once more, he swore to get back at Tsunade for his current team. "After all, there aren't many wind users here in Konoha. The only ones I can think of are Temari Nara and myself…but to tell the truth, Temari is a lot better at it than I am!" The Sage laughed at the stunned look on Rai's face.

"Hmm…maybe I should ask her to train me," the Uchiha child smirked as he tagged Naruto and began to run down the road as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"Hey! That's wasn't cool!" Naruto barked as a similar smirk appeared on his face as he tore down the road after the young boy whom, at one time, he thought was his son…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You cheated!" a familiar voice echoed down the road, causing Sakura Uchiha's head to snap up as relief banished the worry that had been residing in her heart ever since Saya had come back home to let her know that Rai had gotten away from her once more.

"I did not!" Sakura's eyes snapped open wide as she dropped the medical kit she had been holding. There was no way that she had just heard THAT voice.

"You did too! You did that weird flashy thingy… you know, the same thing you did to catch Kurina today!" Rai's voice accused. His mother cocked her head a bit, utterly confused about her son's conversation.

"You're imagining things, Rai!" There was no mistaking it, that voice belonged to…

"Naruto?" Sakura whispered as a familiar head of blonde hair appeared around the corner, walking side-by-side with her eldest child. As if he could hear her from that distance, Naruto looked up and saw the pink-haired kunoichi standing in her front yard.

"There's my mom! Hey, Mom!" Rai announced as he began to run up to his mother. For the briefest of moments, Naruto considered turning around and head off to his own home, but for Rai's sake he followed the young boy. "Look who I met!"

"Hello, Sakura," the Sage greeted softly, standing behind Jiraiya with his hands in his pockets. The memory of all the pain she had caused him briefly passed through Sakura's mind before she smiled sadly at her former husband.

"Hello, Naruto," she replied before she glanced back down to her son, who was currently hopping around like a madman babbling on about what he had done that day. "So…I see you met little Rai today."

"Yeah, he's a great little guy," the blonde replied as he patted Rai's head and began a mental countdown. _" Three…two…one…"_

"I'm not little!" Rai bellowed.

_"Bingo!"_

"So, Rai…just what did you do today after you scared poor Saya half to death?" the pinkette asked, getting a sheepish look from her son who reached back and scratched the back of his head, reminding the Uchiha lady entirely too much of her former teammate.

"Well…after Sensei kept me from getting run over by a bunch of dummies on the road, I showed him that I could turn my eyes red, then he took me for some ramen before he showed me how to mold chakra better so I can get my Sugar Gum without pooping my pants, then I got to play with some really pretty girls, then Sensei got me some ice cream and showed me how to tear paper with my chakra, then we played Ninja Tag all the way home…but Sensei cheated!" Rai said quickly, seemingly without stopping for a breath as he turned and shot Naruto a withering glare.

"Ramen? Pretty girls?" Sakura asked as her emerald eyes locked onto the bright blue orbs of the Toad Sage. Naruto smiled and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment before he began to explain his actions.

"Well…he skipped breakfast this morning and was hungry," the blonde expounded quickly, intimately knowing the tone of Sakura's voice promised pain. "As for the girls, blame Tsunade…she's the one who gave me an all-kunoichi team! I think she did it to just get me in trouble with Ino."

"An all-kunoichi team? Since when did Konoha appoint all-girl teams?" Sakura asked as she magically produced a wet towel and began to wash Rai's face. The young boy began to sputter and spit like a cat that had been dunked in a washtub full of water.

"Just the luck of the draw, I guess," the Sage smiled as he watched Rai continue to fuss. "Most of the graduates this year were female, and if they are anything like my team…Lord help us! I can tell you this, however; my team seems quite taken by young Jiraiya here! And if I'm not mistake I believe someone has a small crush on Kurina…I guess he has a thing for pretty redheads."

"Sensei! Not cool!" Rai yelped before getting bopped on the back of his head by his mother for his lack of manners. Her evil glare made the boy realize what he had done wrong. "Heh…sorry sensei."

"Sensei?" a voice called out from the front of the house just as Sasuke Uchiha stepped out onto the front porch and into the yard. Rai's face lit up like a Christmas tree at the sight of his father.

"Daddy! You're home!" the boy yelled happily as he ran over to his father and wrapped his legs up in a hug. "Are you gonna eat dinner with us tonight?"

"Jiraiya, what have I told you before?" the Uchiha asked his son, who reluctantly released his hold on his father and took several steps back. Rai looked down at his feet as his spirits fell.

"Sorry…Father," Rai replied solemnly, which disturbed Naruto quite a bit. How could such a high-spirited child suddenly seem so…restrained.

"You missed you're lessons today," the dark eyes of his father bore down upon the young boy causing him to shrink even more. "You scared your mother and Saya half to death…I hope you enjoyed yourself! But to answer your question…No, I'm taking my team out for a mission. Now, get inside and help Saya with the twins."

"Yes, Father," Rai mumbled as he shuffled into the house, but not before turning back and glancing at Naruto…who gave him a thumbs-up. His mood much better, the young Uchiha bounded into the house.

"Naruto…why did my son call you 'sensei'?" Sasuke asked darkly, glaring at the Namikaze lord. Sakura looked on worriedly as she watched her former teammates.

"What? Not even a 'thank you' for watching your son all day?" Naruto asked cheekily, causing a shadow to pass over Sasuke's face before he closed his eyes.

"Sorry," he sighed before opening his eyes once more. "Thank you." The Sage could clearly see the conflict within his former friend.

"You're welcome," the blonde replied with a smile before turning serious. "As for why Rai called me 'sensei'…well, that's one reason I'm here today."

"What…is there something wrong with Jiraiya, something I missed?" Sakura asked worriedly as she stepped over and wrapped her arm around her husband's waist for support…an action that didn't go unnoticed by the blonde. Sasuke looked a bit worried as well. He knew that Naruto's abilities exceeded Sakura's and his own and he feared for his eldest child.

"Other than the fact he has the chakra reserves of a Chunin, nothing's wrong with him," the Sage replied, causing the Uchiha couple to stare wide-eyed with shock. "However, I think you need to ignore the regular order of his training…"

"What would you know of his training and what gives you the right to…" Sasuke interrupted angrily, his fist clinching tightly until Naruto finished and knocked Sasuke's world completely off-kilter.

"Sasuke…he's learned how to activate his Sharingan," the Sage replied flatly, causing the Uchiha to quickly go pale.

"Wha…how do you know? Th-that's not possible…the last person to develop it so early in childhood was…"

"Itachi, I know" explained the Namikaze lord, who was now afraid he'd have to pick the shocked couple up off of the ground soon. "Only Rai has developed it much earlier that your brother ever did. But it's true…when he ran into me today he showed me that he could 'turn his eyes red'. Only problem was that he didn't know to mold his chakra properly and sent most of it to his head before enough leaked into his eyes to activate the blood limit. He almost passed out when he succeeded…but it was there. One tomoe in one eye and two in the other. After I took him to the side and showed him the proper method of chakra control, he fully awakened two tomoe in each eye."

"Two tomoe in each eye?" Sakura gasped as she remembered that Sasuke didn't awaken his Sharingan to that level until after they were genin while they were on their first c-rank mission.

"Yeah…so I guess you need to work with him on that," Naruto commented as he scratched the back of his head, which told the Uchihas he had something else on his mind. "Which kinda brings me to another point. You probably need to find somebody to help him out with his elemental manipulations and jutsus…"

"What are you talking about, Naruto? Everyone knows that children that young…you actually saw it, didn't you?" Sakura asked as the Sage nodded his head.

"He sent a breeze toward my team when he thought they were too hot," he explained…not going into detail about the event. He didn't want Rai to get into trouble. "I gave him a piece of chakra paper and confirmed his wind element. That might explain why he has so much trouble with fire jutsus."

"Wind isn't a very common element to be aligned with here in Konoha," Sasuke murmured as he stroked his chin in thought. "Most wind users are from Suna, if I remember correctly."

"The only ones that I know of here in Konoha are myself and Temari," Naruto replied as he began to feel really uncomfortable. "So…you'd probably have to write to Suna and see if you can have one come over and work with Rai."

"Naruto, are you alright?" Sakura asked while remaining at her husband's side. The pink-haired medic had noticed the subtle flashes of pain in his eyes whenever her son's name came up, as well as the slight flinching of his muscles signifying that he was fighting himself to keep from running home. It hurt her to know that the man she was formerly married to and had been her friend and teammate for years before that really wanted nothing to do with them. However, after experiencing all of Naruto's pain and memories she could understand his reasons. Sasuke gave her a light squeeze, letting her know that he understood.

"I'm good, really…it's just…," Naruto paused to compose himself and to gather his thoughts. When he had awakened this morning to his wife's smiling face he never expected anything like what had happened this to occur. "It's just…I never thought that you would have gone ahead and given him my old sensei's name. I mean, after all, I wasn't his…"

"I had already had the birth certificate filled out and ready for when I delivered him," Sakura replied softly, her emerald eyes downcast as the pain of her betrayal hit her. "The only thing I had to change was…the father's name."

"We didn't want to hurt you any more than we already had," Sasuke added, feeling that ache in his chest from missing the closest friend he had ever had. The Uchiha fought a long, hard battle with his pride in the years since their betrayal and it was a war that was far from won. On one hand, he wanted to fall to his knees and beg his brother to forgive him like he had done when Naruto brought him home. On the other hand, the husband and father sides of his personality had no regrets for stealing his best friend's wife and having a family with her. It left the mighty Sasuke Uchiha a conflicted man indeed. "We thought it would be appropriate to keep his name in honor of your sensei."

"Uh…oh…cool, I guess," Naruto mumbled. "Well, uh, I guess I need to go and head over to the office before Ino and Tsunade hunt me down and chain me to the chair…again." With that, the Sage turned on his heel and called back over his shoulder. "It was…good…to see you two again, and to meet Rai. Give him my best wishes, will you?"

"Do you still hate us, Naruto?" Sasuke called out before said blonde could take off. The couple noticed his shoulders slump as he turned his head back to look at the couple who had shattered his world years back.

"I never hated you, Sasuke…nor you, Sakura. God, there were times when I wish I did hate you…it could have made things so much easier!" he replied as he turned back around to face them. "Why do you think I stepped aside without much of a fight? Why do you think I gave Sakura and Rai so much money and a house to live in? Why do you think I signed your marriage papers and re-instated you as a Jounin? It's because no matter badly you two hurt me, I still cared for you both. You both are, and always have been, some of my precious people…which is why what you two did to me hurt so very, very much."

"Can…can you ever forgive us?" Sakura asked, tears threatening to overwhelm the eyes that Naruto had loved for so long.

"Sakura," the Sage sighed as he closed his eyes for a moment before re-opening them and noticing the tension building up within their bodies. "I forgave you both a long time ago."

"Thank you…that makes us so happy, Naruto," the medic beamed until the blonde Hokage-to-be held up his hand quickly, silencing their celebration.

"I may have forgiven you, Sakura…but I have not forgotten," he watched the couple's spirits fall once more with his announcement. "I still have problems because of your actions…sometimes. Ino and I are still haunted sometimes about the night that I…she found me. The nightmares can be really…graphic. When she first told me about little 'Nade, I kinda freaked out which scared her pretty badly. Whenever she's gone for a little longer than she said she would be…sometimes an evil little voice, a sniggling little doubt, will speak up and suggest that she's out screwing some other guy…"

"Ino would never do that to you, Naruto," Sakura protested vehemently, but she winced when he answered back.

"I know she wouldn't, Sakura, and I trust her completely. The problem is…I used to think the same thing about you….that you would never step out on me. I can't help it, the damage has been done. I used to be such a self-assured kind of guy…you know, like I could take on anybody and anything by myself? Now…there are times when I have to lean on Ino like a crutch, and that's just not fair to her!" The Sage's head fell forward in shame.

"All married couples lean on each other for support…it's how they make it through the tough times," the lady-of-the-house said as she gave Sasuke a tight hug. Black and emerald locked on to each other for a second before refocusing on the jinchuuriki standing before them.

"I know, it's just…never mind. I'll see you around, I really need to get going," the blonde muttered as he turned to leave only to be stopped once more.

"Naruto, hang on a sec," Sasuke called out before he swallowed a red-hot molten mass that he called his Pride. "I really hate to ask and bother you but…do you think you could take Jiraiya on as a student? Look, it seems to me that the two of you get along really well, and I swear he seems to have learned more from you in one day than he's learned from me in six years. Plus, he already sees you and respects you as a teacher. So, how about it?"

"I really don't want to get between you and you son, Sasuke," Naruto replied, not wanting to cause a stink that could start a Namikaze-Uchiha feud.

"You won't," the Uchiha smirked as he could see Naruto's resistance weakening. "To tell you the truth, I wouldn't trust some stranger from Suna or anywhere else to train him, and I know that you would look out for his well-being. Besides, who better to teach someone with massive chakra reserves and a short attention span than somebody with the same problems?"

"Fine…send him over to my place at about twelve noon tomorrow," Naruto agreed, nodding his head once. "Team Seven should be done with tomorrow's missions by then and he can train right along with the team until I send them home. After that, I'll keep him around for some personalized training. Deal?"

"Deal," Sasuke agreed and then looked puzzled when Naruto smiled and gave someone a thumbs-up. When the Uchiha leader looked around, he saw his oldest son jumping with joy in his bedroom window. "Aw man, what the hell did I just do?"

End of Chapter 22.


End file.
